A couple of months ago, I cut all of my hair off. Over 16 inches. This was quite the shock for many people; I had been the hot blonde for the past two years, and now I had a mousy-brown buzz cut. Most people don't even recognize me when they first see me. It's definitely been an adjustment period for us all.

When I cut my hair, I didn't expect people to react the way they did. Some people thought it was cute, while others wanted to know what the hell had possessed me to cut it all off. Honestly, I just thought it would be fun. I wanted to start over with my hair and try something new. Everyone had told me they liked my hair. They thought my hair was beautiful. My hair was fun. I was hot because of my hair. What will they think when it's all gone?

Turns out, people still thought I was kind of cute. They thought it was still a fun haircut. I was rocking a sassy 'do.

But I noticed what nobody was outright saying. I noticed the assumptions people were making about me.

With my long hair, I became used to the long, wandering looks I received from people. The looks that started with my hair, but went up and down my body, pausing at my hips and my chest. The looks that asked me how I was doing and if I was free later that night. As much as these looks annoyed and disgusted me, they had become a part of everyday life.

Now, with short hair, I don't get much of that. I'll get a few here and there, but most of the looks just keep looking past. But that's because most people who look at me now think I'm a lesbian. When I cut my hair, I was not aware that the length would determine my sexuality.

Even before I cut my hair, people were assuming what my sexuality is. I mention my male partner/boyfriend/fiance/husband/whatever I felt like calling him at the moment, and people assume I'm heterosexual. I tell someone I have an interest in females, too, and all of a sudden I'm bisexual. And frankly, I'm sick of this assumption shit.

But I get it. There are a lot of different sexual and gender identities floating around in today's world, and it's hard to be sure about anyone anymore. So let me just come out and tell you, instead of you assuming:

I identify as a female, and I identify as pansexual. And no, that does not mean I am sexually interested in pans, or any other kitchenware for that matter. (Especially not pots; hell no.)

This means I'm interested in all sorts of people; male, female, transgender/sexual, asexual, hermaphrodite, and everything else in between. When looking for a partner, personality is key. I look at their internal qualities, and their body is a bonus for me.

This doesn't necessarily mean I have no type. I won't hook up with just anybody. I don't necessarily give everyone an equal chance. I do have a type. I do turn people down without knowing them. I'm a human and I still take physical attraction into account when I'm looking for a partner. Often times, I just look for someone who is clean. Someone who knows how to take care of themselves and who dresses well. Someone who has a nice smile, shampooed hair, and strong hands. However, you won't make it far if you are unable to respond to my texts or if you don't care about my feelings. If you aren't motivated and hard-working. If you are sitting around all day smoking pot and playing video games. If you want me, you still need to work to impress me, honey.

However, I don't have an open position. Because my partner is a male, people like to assume I'm straight. But then again, my own partner sometimes forgets about my sexuality.

While the assumptions are understandable, they are not excusable. Many people in today's world are too afraid to talk about sexual and gender identities. We all want to be politically correct so as to not offend anyone. That's awesome. Go society! But honestly, many people who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community would not mind if you asked them about their sexual or gender identity. We actually prefer you to ask, rather than assume. Granted, some may be offended and some may still be coming to terms with their identity, but many of us are open about our identity and we enjoy talking about it.

I spent a great deal of time coming to terms with my sexual identity. It took a while to finally label myself with the proper terms. The process was pretty easy for me, but it still took a lot of time. It still took a lot of energy. And it was still a little scary to come out to my friends and family. But honestly, I'm extremely happy identifying as pansexual. I love talking about it to other people. It's a part of who I am, and I would much rather tell somebody about my sexuality than have them tell me.