Heterosexism

Psychology

(noun)

A system of attitudes, biases, and discrimination in favor of opposite-sex sexuality and relationships. It can include the presumption that everyone is heterosexual or that opposite-sex attractions and relationships are the only norm and are therefore superior.

Related Terms

  • homophobia
  • binary
  • heteronormative
  • sexual orientation
Communications

(noun)

A system of attitudes, bias, and discrimination in favor of opposite-sex sexuality and relationships. It can include the presumption that everyone is heterosexual or that opposite-sex attractions and relationships are the only norm and therefore superior.

Related Terms

  • down-low
  • heteronormativity

Examples of Heterosexism in the following topics:

  • The Feminist Perspective

    • The feminist perspective also criticizes exclusive understandings of sexuality, such as heterosexism.
    • Heterosexism is a system of attitudes, bias, and discrimination that favor male-female sexuality and relationships.
    • However, heterosexism can extend far beyond government validation, as it describes a set of paradigms and institutionalized beliefs that systematically disadvantage anyone who does not fit into a normative mold.
    • Like racism, heterosexism can operate on an institutional level (e.g., through government) and at an individual level (i.e., in face-to-face interactions).
    • Feminist critiques of heterosexism thus align with queer theory and the ideas of Michel Foucault, who studied the relationship between power and sexuality.
  • Sexual Orientation

    • Speakers should be aware of the bias in the audience and in Western society in general toward hetreonomativity and heterosexism.
    • Heterosexism is a system of attitudes, bias, and discrimination in favor of opposite-sex sexuality and relationships.
    • Nonetheless, heterosexism as discrimination ranks gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and other sexual minorities as second-class citizens with regard to various legal and civil rights, economic opportunities, and social equality in the majority of the world's jurisdictions and societies.
  • Sexual Orientation

    • Open identification of one's sexual orientation may be hindered by homophobia and heterosexism.
  • Feminist Theory

    • Many of these individiauls were disenfranchised, ignored, and/or silenced by the scientific communities of their time due to racism, sexism, and heterosexism.
Subjects
  • Accounting
  • Algebra
  • Art History
  • Biology
  • Business
  • Calculus
  • Chemistry
  • Communications
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Microbiology
  • Physics
  • Physiology
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Statistics
  • U.S. History
  • World History
  • Writing

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