What Is Heteronormativity, and How Does It Shape the World Around You?

It’s literally everything.

Maybe you recently decided to gift your social feeds the presence of LGBTQ+ activists and influencers.

Or maybe you’re doing your part tobe an informed LGBTQ+ ally.

And one of those words is heteronormativity.

That’s why we put together this Heteronormativity 101 explainer.

Here’s what each of those terms means.

“Its privilege can take several (sometimes contradictory) forms.”

More on those forms below.

What Heteronormativity Looks Like In Action

Heteronormativity is inescapable.

Where Did Heteronormativity Originate?

The short answer: We, as humans, created it.

Mainly, through language.

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Humans have been having sex with people all across the gender spectrum forever, says Bloom.

“Homosexuality is the eroticism for one of the same sex,” read one of the entries.

And with these, came the attachment of normalcy to heterosexuality andabnormalcy to homosexuality.

were all deemed as being equally wrong," explains Bloom.

it’s possible for you to thank religion for that mentality, akapurity culture.

The result of these discriminations ranges from lack of job security and financial stability to worsened health outcomes.

Heteronormativity is built into the systems that shape our lives.

(Next read:Tools to Help You Uncover Implicit Bias)