Breaking ‘Heteronormativity’ in today’s society by Lucy Carlile
“Asking us to push away the very walls that are constantly crushing us into small, confined boxes is toxic.” ― Jamie Windust, In Their Shoes: Navigating Non-Binary Life. Heteronormativity is a term that describes the ways in which society views LGBT+ people vs heterosexual people. It is the idea that being ‘straight’ (also known as romantic and sexual relationships/ marriages between a man and a woman only) is the default and that relationships between same-sex couples should not be of a sexual nature, like that of homophobia, a term used to describe hatred or dislike towards the LGBT+ community.
So what is the difference between heteronormativity and homophobia?
Homophobia can be linked to heteronormativity because laws and negative opinions surrounding LGBT+ people are a prime example. The two are in fact very similar. However, if someone was to assume a person’s sexuality, this does not necessarily mean that they are homophobic. Society has almost shaped the way that we view others and their identities. Heteronormativity can also affect a person’s views or future views of LGBT+ people, perhaps coming as a surprise to them that people have different kinds of relationships, and not just same sex either. Obviously, this is where homophobia could come into play.
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