Heterosexism

Heterosexism is a process of discrimination that favors heterosexuals over lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals. It can include the presumption that everyone is that opposite-sex attractions and relationships are the only norm and therefore superior. It is also different from homophobia, though homophobia is the driving force behind heterosexism.

Most of the systems are deeply heterosexist, offers legal rights, tax benefits, and other protections to opposite gender couples that are not available to same-sex couples. It is also a reality in the corporate world, oriented towards partners of the same sex and often denied promotions on the basis of their sexual orientation, or fired with their sexual orientation is discovered.

Effects of Heterosexism:

Heterosexism causes a range of effects on people of any sexual orientation. Moreover, the main effects of heterosexism are marginalization, and anti-LGBT violence and abuse.

Marginalization:

Marginalization occurs when marriage rights are heterosexist. It is more specific, when marriage rights are exclusive to opposite-sex couples, all same-sex couples, they gay, lesbian, straight or mixed, are prevented from enjoying marriage’s corresponding legal privileges, especially those regarding property rights, health benefits, and child custody. Moreover, such kind of limitation which prevents same-sex couples from receiving the inherent social respect of marriage and its cultural symbolism.

Anti-LGBT violence and abuse

A male who denies accepting the dominant culture's assignment of appropriate masculine behavior is labeled early on as a "fag" and subjected to bullying. Similarly, any woman who opposes male dominance and control can be labeled a lesbian and attacked. The potential of being ostracized as homosexual, regardless of actual sexual attractions and behaviors, puts pressure on all people to conform to a narrow standard of appropriate gender behavior, thereby maintaining and reinforcing our society's hierarchical gender structure.”

Another form of heterosexist violence as social control that most often targets lesbian women is corrective rape: a gang rape of a lesbian to "cure" her of her same-sex attractions.

Strategies to combat Heterosexism

• Don’t assume that everyone you meet is heterosexual.
• Ensure safety by making clear your support of GLBT community.
• The challenge of heterosexism whether or not people who identity as GLBT are present. Don’t always leave it to GLBT community to do it.
• Keep remembering that silence is complicity, which challenges and confront statements that target the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender and the assumptions behind them.
• Do not assume that a gay or lesbian of the same gender is automatically attracted to you.
• Heterosexism is always promoted and maintained powerfully through the effective language.