May 24th marks Pansexual Awareness and Visibility Day. Yay! Created on Tumblr in 2015, it means a lot to people like me who identify as pansexual. This day matters because pansexuality is an important part of the LGBTQ rainbow.

Pansexuality is not well known to everyone. As someone who identifies as pansexual, I feel it’s important to help clarify what it is and isn’t. So what does the term “pansexual” mean? Being pansexual means that you can be romantically and sexually attracted to a person regardless of their sex or gender identity.

I previously identified as bisexual. As I learned more about myself and the spectrum of both sexual orientation and gender identity, I now identify as pansexual. You might be asking yourself, “What’s the difference between being pansexual and bisexual?”

Identifying as bisexual typically means that you can be romantically and sexually attracted to two different sexes—male or female. Some say that bisexuality is focused on the gender binary of male and female. While some may argue that pansexuality and bisexuality are similar, others choose to identify as pansexual to include an attraction to those who identify as non-binary or gender nonconforming.

Pansexual Awareness and Visibility Day may not be a well-known holiday, and you may or may not identify as pansexual. Nonetheless, encourage others to learn about pansexuality. Learning about how others identify can help you understand different perspectives and allow for a more inclusive understanding of the wide spectrum of gender identities and sexual orientations. No matter how you identify, why not celebrate it?