Heteronormativity is an expression that is usually used to refer to sexual relationships with a member of the opposite sex. As such, heteronormative thinking defines this kind of sexual relationship as the only normal relationship. With this kind of thinking, other sexual relationships like homosexuality are biased by the ideas it supports. Traditionally, heteronormativity has dominated various social institutions in society, like the education, media, family and religious institutions (Castro, 36). It has remained the most dominant way of thinking also in these institutions.
Most societies have been socialized to the heteronormative mode of thinking. In the contemporary society however, there is an increasing drift from the traditional heteronormative way of thinking to other ways of thinking. In present day, most societies have embraced other forms of sexual relations that are not basically based on the opposite sex. Gayism and lesbianism have for example gained a rapid spread in modern day societies. This has adversely changed the experience of those who were regarded as sexual minorities in society. As such, their sexual relations have come to be regarded as normal in societies as opposed to the tradition heteronormative way of thinking. In present day campus life for example, it is normal to find gay students who are open about their nature of relationship. Most importantly, other institutions like the religious institutions are also changing their view about the same concept. Same sex marriages are for example being openly officiated in some of the contemporary churches. Additionally, Political institutions are also on the fore front in the drift from heteronormativity. In this sense, there is a high push by civil right movements toward advocating for gay rights. This is done because most societies have come to disagree with the one way of thinking that only opposite sex relationships can be regarded as normal. The present day society has therefore shifted adversely from the hetero-normative world, and given same sex relationships a wide representation as well.
Reference
Castro, Varela M. M, Nikita Dhawan, and Antke Engel. Hegemony and Heteronormativity: Revisiting 'the Political' in Queer Politics. Farnham: Ashgate Pub, 2011. Print.
