hoooo boy
There was quite a long time I identified as bisexual, I think since I was around 16 or so. I've more recently started identifying as pansexual because I feel that fits what I actually am a bit better.
Because, nowadays, when I start to develop a crush on somebody, it's their level of understanding and intelligence that causes it to happen, and I simply just don't take their sex or gender identity into account. I also could fall for someone who fell outside the gender binary (genderqueer/genderfluid people, etc) as well since again, gender just isn't one of the things that clicks for me when I start to like someone. I just don't care what your biology is or what you identify as. If I like you then I like you, simple as that.
I told my parents I'm bi because I doubt they'd understand what pansexuality is, nor take me seriously if I explained it to them. It was just easier to tell them I'm bi. They…don’t seem to care? I don't know, they never really like to talk about it. But when I talk about LGBT rights, my mom is always asking me "ARE YOU GAY?" even though I already told her my sexuality before. It gets a little annoying. I'm grateful, though, that my parents don’t seem to be as homophobic as they once were. I think me being so into LGBT rights has softened them up a little, as well as them meeting the lesbian couple who have a child that is friends with my aunt. When it comes to the more radical homophobes, you can’t usually change their minds no matter what you do, but people who are more on the fence sometimes just need to see an LGBT headed family or know a gay person and they’ll start lending support.
People can surprise you.
I -think- my parents know I'm an atheist too, I think that bothers them more than my sexuality does. At the very least, they know I'm not a fan of religious stuff.
I later on in life came to the realization that I'm transgender or at least genderfluid, which was a lot harder for me to admit to myself than being pansexual. I actually started crying a bit when I realized it (don't tell anyone >.>) and while I'm openly pansexual in all aspects of life, I have yet to identify as male the majority of the time outside of the internet. It's just something I'm not sure most of my family will understand, so I'm quite apprehensive about it. If I do come out as trans/genderfluid IRL, it will be long after I've moved out of this house so I can live my life identifying however I please. It helps that I had a breast reduction surgery, maybe someday I can experiment with binding or something.
I know it sounds hypocritical because I just said above that people can surprise you. But being trans is often regarded worse in society than being gay/bi/pan is, so I really don't know yet. Maybe I'll tell them someday, but not yet.
For now, though, the internet provides a good outlet for letting me identify as primarily male. Second life is especially useful for this. I love it. My gender identity not matching my biological sex is the reason I tend to avoid using voice chat on skype or on games unless I'm comfortable with the people hearing it (or to free up my hands when gaming)
Welp I think that's pretty much it.