User:Maxpierro99/sandbox

Compulsory heterosexuality

Compulsory heterosexuality is the idea that heterosexuality is assumed and enforced by a patriarchal society. Heterosexuality is viewed as the natural inclination or obligation by both sexes. Consequently, anyone who differs from the normalcy of heterosexuality is deemed deviant or abhorrent.^[1]  Common examples include the assumption that children will marry a person of the other sex, sexual education books that exclusively discuss heterosexuality, religious and secular organizations that assume all members are heterosexual, and believing that if one can pretend to be heterosexual that is better than being homosexual.^[2] Women are subjected to compulsory heterosexuality. Adrienne Rich popularized the term compulsory heterosexuality in her 1980 essay titled "Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence." Compulsory heterosexuality contributes to homophobia by marginalizing non-heterosexuals, treating heterosexuality as the superior default, and decreasing awareness of the large number of people within the population who are not heterosexual.

Sources:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/3173834?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

http://socialistreview.org.uk/369/adrienne-rich-1929-2012

http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2012/04/25/how-equality-in-sport-is-undermined-by-compulsory-heterosexuality/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/heterosexual-privilege/