Heterosexuality

Definition

Heterosexuality refers to a sexual orientation in which an individual is emotionally, romantically, and/or sexually attracted to people of a gender different from their own. It is considered the dominant or 'default' sexual orientation in most societies, and has historically been the societal norm and expectation for human sexuality and relationships.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Heterosexuality is often viewed as the societal default, leading to the marginalization and stigmatization of other sexual orientations.
2. Heterosexual relationships and marriages have historically been legally and socially privileged over other forms of intimate partnerships.
3. Compulsory heterosexuality is the idea that heterosexuality is imposed as the only acceptable and natural sexual orientation.
4. Heterosexuality intersects with other aspects of identity, such as gender, race, and class, influencing one's social and lived experiences.
5. Heterosexual norms and expectations can limit self-expression and lead to the policing of gender nonconformity and diverse sexualities.

Review Questions

• Explain how heterosexuality is connected to the concepts of sex, gender, identity, and expression.
  • Heterosexuality is intrinsically linked to the societal norms and expectations surrounding sex, gender, identity, and expression. It is considered the default, 'natural' sexual orientation, with heterosexual relationships and marriages being historically privileged and socially accepted. Heteronormative assumptions about gender and sexuality can limit self-expression and lead to the marginalization of non-heterosexual identities. Heterosexuality also intersects with other aspects of identity, influencing one's lived experiences in complex ways.
• Describe how the concept of compulsory heterosexuality can shape individual and societal attitudes towards sexuality and gender.
  • The notion of compulsory heterosexuality, or the idea that heterosexuality is the only acceptable and natural sexual orientation, can have profound impacts on both individual and societal attitudes. At the individual level, it can lead to the policing of gender nonconformity, limit self-expression, and contribute to the internalization of heteronormative values. At the societal level, compulsory heterosexuality privileges heterosexual relationships and marriages, while marginalizing and stigmatizing other sexual orientations. This can manifest in legal, social, and cultural structures that reinforce the dominance of heterosexuality and heteronormative norms, often to the detriment of diverse sexualities and gender identities.
• Analyze how the intersections of heterosexuality with other aspects of identity, such as race and class, can shape one's lived experiences and social positioning.
  • Heterosexuality does not exist in a vacuum; it intersects with other facets of identity, including race, class, and gender, to shape an individual's lived experiences and social positioning. For example, the intersection of heterosexuality and whiteness may confer certain privileges, while the intersection of heterosexuality and marginalized racial or ethnic identities may lead to compounded experiences of discrimination and marginalization. Similarly, the intersection of heterosexuality and economic status can influence access to resources, social capital, and power. These intersections highlight the complex and nuanced ways in which heterosexuality is experienced and can have profound implications for an individual's social, economic, and political realities.

Related terms

Sexuality: Sexuality encompasses a person's sexual orientation, gender identity, biological sex, sexual practices, and reproductive capacity.

Cisgender:

A person whose gender identity and expression aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth.

Heteronormativity:

The assumption that heterosexuality is the default, normal, or preferred sexual orientation.