We’ve explained ‘graysexual’, ‘demisexual’ and ‘almondsexual’ over the past year or so, helping readers stay up to speed as we learn ourselves in real time.
Call it a sign of the times, perhaps, but it seems there are new ways and new labels constantly being created for people to define their experiences of attraction.
Now, let me make it clear that I don’t have anything specifically against this. I’m not some grumpy curmudgeon resisting change and angrily complaining because things aren’t the way they used to be.
That said, it can all get a bit confusing. There seem to be so many ways for people to identify, such a wide spectrum of terms to describe sexuality and attraction, that it’s hard to keep track.
Which is why we’re doing our best to keep people informed and updated. With that in mind, we thought it was only right to shed some light on the concept of being “berrisexual”.
According to reports, people on Reddit are identifying as “berrisexual”, so here’s what it means.
On Urban Dictionary, one of the earliest definitions describes someone who identifies as berrisexual as “someone attracted to women and feminine genders and androgynous genders, but also very rarely attracted to men and masculine genders.”
Put simply, berrisexual individuals can experience attraction across all genders, though attraction to men or masculine people tends to be lighter, less frequent, or secondary. The term is relatively new compared to identities such as bisexual and pansexual, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve space. Indeed, some Reddit users have expressed happiness at finally having a label that better fits their personality and preferences.
“Many people don’t know about berrisexual, and we need more representation!” one person wrote on Reddit.
“Now I don’t have to pick because berri fits like a glove,” another added, referring to a previous struggle to define their sexuality.
As one contributor on the LGBTQIA+ Fandom site put it: “Berrisexuality is about attraction to all genders… you can always date a man.”
A more niche micro-label than broader terms like bi, pan, or omnisexual, berrisexual allows a small group of people to feel more comfortable in their sexuality.
According to Queerdom Wiki, berrisexuality — also sometimes known as Laurian — is similar to pansexuality or omnisexuality in that a person can experience attraction to all genders.
The key difference is that attraction to men or masculine-aligned people is typically rarer or less intense than attraction toward women and nonbinary or androgynous people.
Did you know what being berrisexual meant? Let us know in the comments.
