There are a few things you learn to avoid as a pansexual person on the internet:
- Fruitless arguments with bigoted FaceBook acquaintances
- Most Reddit comment sections
- M-Spec Exclusionists
"What's an M-Spec?" you might ask.
According to the LGBTA Wiki, M-Spec means:
(multisexual spectrum). It can describe people who are bisexual, pansexual, polysexual, omnisexual, etc, or be used as a stand-alone identity if one does not wish to specify their sexuality further.
via LGBTA Wiki
What a wonderful spread of identities and orientations! So many ways to explain and understand how, why, and when your attraction works! A whole slew of communities to seek out and join. All good things, right? According to certain groups of exclusionists: absolutely not.
One particular group, calling themselves Battle-Axe Bisexuals (BaBs), lay down some very firm laws about what it means to be attracted to more than one gender, and what it means when you identify as something beyond bisexual. Much like TERFs, Transmeds, and A-Spec Exclusionists, BaBs tend to spark an unusual amount of LGBTQ+ infighting considering the persecution queer people already face outside their community.
Originally, the term was coined by artist foxflightstudios as part of their LGBT Armory collection. Along with several other weapons (including Mace Ace, Spear Queer, and Dagger Demi). A noble enough cause, no? Not noble enough for a new wave of exclusionists who have adopted the term and used it mostly to cut down perceived discrimination amongst other queer folks, going so far as to doxx and send death threats to people who identify with M-Spec labels outside of bisexual.
For newly realized M-Spec people, coming across an LGBTQ forum that labels you a "pannie" and describes your identity as inherently biphobic and transphobic can be shocking at the very least, and dangerous to those who feel like sticking up for themselves. Nothing beats seeking unity and comfort amongst other LGBTQ people only to realize there's just as much discrimination inside as there is outside.
