Heteronormativity and complementary gender roles should be
consummated in the private sphere. Monog-
Homonormativity amous, marital, procreative heterosexuality is
BRANDON ANDREW ROBINSON considered superior to all other sexual expres-
he University of Texas at Austin, USA sions. Promiscuity, non-heterosexuality, and
sex in public are oten considered abnormal
and as being bad forms of sexual expressions.
Heteronormativity is a hegemonic system
Homonormativity is a political strategy
of norms, discourses, and practices that
used within sexual minority communities
constructs heterosexuality as natural and
that reinforces heteronormative institu-
superior to all other expressions of sexuality.
tions and mores (Duggan 2002). Sexually
Queer theorist Michael Warner (1991) coined
marginalized individuals can stake a claim
the term heteronormativity to illuminate the
for their rights through asserting that gay and
privileging of heterosexuality in social rela-
lesbian individuals are just like their hetero-
tions, which relegates sexual minorities to a
sexual counterparts, except for their same-sex
marginal status position. Heteronormativity
attractions and partnerships. Sexual minori-
legitimates homophobia – the irrational fear
ties seek these rights through consumption
of gay and lesbian people – and heterosex-
practices, monogamy, marriage, domesticity,
ism – the discrimination of sexual minorities
and reproduction. Because certain institu-
within social relations and structures. Het-
tions and relations are valued more within the
eronormative standards and discourses
dominant society, sexual minorities strate-
that legitimate the discrimination of sex-
ual minorities can be found in most social gically seek advancement and acceptance
institutions, including religion, the family, within these particular institutions – such as
education, the media, the law, and the state. legal marriage equality and membership in
For example, the media oten underrepre- the military – over other more radical are-
sents lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and nas – such as gaining labor rights and equal
queer (LGBTQ) people and/or presents them access to healthcare. hese strategies limit the
stereotypically. In the educational realm, rights that sexual minorities can gain, since
LGBTQ people are oten completely erased they are still framed through particular het-
from sexual health and other pedagogical eronormative institutions. herefore, some
materials. Sexually marginalized individuals scholars see homonormativity as dividing
are oten denied domestic partner beneits LGBTQ communities. hose sexual minori-
or access to marriage, and they face a host ties who can or do assimilate into heteronor-
of other discriminatory practices because mative structures and conform to the con-
their relationships are valued less than a gruent gender roles receive more rights and
heterosexual relationship. privileges than those who do not or cannot
Under dominant heteronormative stan- assimilate. For example, many transgender
dards, heterosexuality and homosexuality and other gender non-conforming individ-
are binary opposites. he gender roles of uals are oten pushed to the periphery of
masculine men and feminine women are LGBTQ communities for not conforming to
naturalized, and sexual relations between the heteronormative gender roles in society.
he Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality Studies, First Edition. Edited by Nancy A. Naples.
© 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Published 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
DOI: 10.1002/9781118663219.wbegss013
2 HETERONORMATIVIT Y AND HOMONORMATIVIT Y
Heteronormativity (and, by extension, toward sexual and gender minorities, and
homonormativity) must also be understood queer scholarship strives to uncover how
as part of racialized social formations and structures of power all work together to
white supremacy. Heteronormativity not only marginalize particular status groups in
regulates LGBTQ-identiied individuals, it society.
is also legitimated through discrimination
against other non-normative sexualities, SEE ALSO: Compulsory Heterosexuality;
bodies, and lived experiences (e.g., interracial Heterosexism and Homophobia; Heterosexual
Imaginary; Queer heory; Sexual Minorities
relationships, single mothers). A key example
of racialized heteronormativity is the concept
of homonationalism. Jasbir Puar (2007) REFERENCES
deines homonationalism as the granting of Duggan, Lisa. 2002. “he New Homonormativity:
rights to homonormative sexual minorities he Sexual Politics of Neoliberalism.” In Mate-
within a nationalistic, ideological framework. rializing Democracy: Toward a Revitalized Cul-
Homonationalism constructs certain coun- tural Politics, edited by Russ Castronovo and
tries (e.g., Iraq, Afghanistan) as backward on Dana D. Nelson, 175–194. Durham, NC: Duke
LGBTQ and women’s rights, and hence West- University Press.
ern nations need to provide liberation and Puar, Jasbir K. 2007. Terrorist Assemblages:
democracy for these countries. Homonor- Homonationalism in Queer Times. Durham,
NC: Duke University Press.
mativity becomes directly linked with racism
Warner, Michael. 1991. “Introduction: Fear
when people of color, especially those in non-
of a Queer Planet.” Social Text, 29: 3–17.
Western nations, are constructed as intolerant DOI: 10.2307/466295.
of women and sexual minorities, compared
to Western nations and white communities.
FURTHER READING
Homonationalism exposes the contradic-
tions of how homonormativity works with Cohen, Cathy J. 1997. “Punks, Bulldaggers, and
heteronormativity: Western nations use a Welfare Queens: he Radical Potential of Queer
homonormative discourse to marginalize Politics?” GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay
non-Western countries and communities of Studies, 3: 437–465. DOI: 0.1215/10642684-3-
4-437.
color, yet paradoxically, sexual minorities
Duggan, Lisa. 2003. he Twilight of Equality?
are denied basic rights in these Western Neoliberalism, Cultural Politics, and the Attack
countries. on Democracy. Boston: Beacon Press.
Queer scholarship and politics expose Ferguson, Roderick A. 2004. Aberrations in Black:
how heteronormativity and homonorma- Toward a Queer of Color Critique. Minnesota:
tivity operate within society in order to end University of Minnesota Press.
discriminatory fears and practices against Rubin, Gayle S. 1993. “hinking Sex: Notes for a
sexual and gender minorities. As a systematic Radical heory of the Politics of Sexuality.” In
process of domination and exclusion (as he Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader, edited by
speciically seen through the concept of Henry Abelove, Michèle Aina Barale, and David
M. Halperin, 3–44. New York: Routledge.
homonationalism), heteronormativity and
Sedgwick, Eve. 1990. he Epistemology of the
homonormativity interact with patriarchy, Closet. Berkeley: University of California Press.
racism, imperialism, class exploitation, and Stryker, Susan. 2008. “Transgender History,
other oppressive structures in society. Het- Homonormativity, and Disciplinarity.” Rad-
eronormativity and homonormativity have ical History Review, 100: 145–157. DOI:
helped scholars locate and explain oppression 10.1215/01636545-2007-026.
HETERONORMATIVIT Y AND HOMONORMATIVIT Y 3
Valocchi, Stephen. 2005. “Not Yet Queer Enough: Warner, Michael, ed. 1993. Fear of a Queer Planet:
he Lessons of Queer heory for the Sociology Queer Politics and Social heory. Minneapolis:
of Gender and Sexuality.” Gender & Society, 19: University of Minnesota Press.
750–770. DOI: 10.1177/0891243205280294.
