Pronounced "HEH-ter-OH SEX-is-um"
Related terms include heteronormativity, cissexism, biphobia, queer.
"It's heterosexist to say that you don't care about gay marriage just because it doesn't directly affect your rights."
Heterosexism is the idea that heterosexuality is a normal, natural, or superior state of human sexual orientation, and the system of oppresion based on that belief. It is very closely related to homophobia and the two ideas tend to coexist. Like homophobia and cissexism, heterosexism exists on both a societal and individual level and can be either deliberate or unintentional on part of the person holding those beliefs.
Cultural heterosexism is a major obstacle in attaining marriage equality and other recognition of same-sex relationships. Related acts and ideas-- such as homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia-- can also lead to acts of violence and discrimination LGBT+ individuals.
The word heterosexism was developed as a portmanteau, from "hetero-sex," meaning "opposite sex,"and "-ism," often used as a suffix in reference to forms of oppression such as racism and sexism. Alternative terms for the same concept include institutionalized homophobia, heterocentrism, and heterosexualism.
Showing posts with label -ism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label -ism. Show all posts
Definition of "Gender Essentialism"
Pronounced "JEN-der es-SEN-CHUL-is-UM."
Related terms include cisnormativity, heteronormativity, gender binary, gender spectrum.
Mark is a gender essentialist. When his son got into a fist-fight with another neighborhood kid, he shrugged and said, 'They're just being boys.'"
Gender essentialism is the belief that gender roles and stereotypes are the natural result of biological or neurological differences between males and females. Gender essentialists assume that AMABs are by nature men, that AFABs are by nature women, and that the societal roles assigned to both are acceptable based on those differences. Gender essentialism generally denies the natural existence of transgender, intersex, and non-binary people, and tends to be closely linked to misogyny, heteronormativity and cisnormativity.
Examples of common gender essentialist assumptions are "All men like porn," and "Little girls love dolls." Like other forms of prejudice, gender essentialism exists on both a societal level and an individual level and can be deeply harmful and hurtful. It implies that gender-nonconforming and transgender people are unnatural and tends to reinforce stereotypes that subjugate women. Although it is most common in conservative circles, gender essentialism can also be seen in some branches of the feminist and LGBT+ community.
The term gender essentialism has been in common use since the 1960s. It refers to the broader sociological concept of essentialism, which is the view that every community has an "essential" set of traits key to its identity and function.
Related terms include cisnormativity, heteronormativity, gender binary, gender spectrum.
Mark is a gender essentialist. When his son got into a fist-fight with another neighborhood kid, he shrugged and said, 'They're just being boys.'"
Gender essentialism is the belief that gender roles and stereotypes are the natural result of biological or neurological differences between males and females. Gender essentialists assume that AMABs are by nature men, that AFABs are by nature women, and that the societal roles assigned to both are acceptable based on those differences. Gender essentialism generally denies the natural existence of transgender, intersex, and non-binary people, and tends to be closely linked to misogyny, heteronormativity and cisnormativity.
Examples of common gender essentialist assumptions are "All men like porn," and "Little girls love dolls." Like other forms of prejudice, gender essentialism exists on both a societal level and an individual level and can be deeply harmful and hurtful. It implies that gender-nonconforming and transgender people are unnatural and tends to reinforce stereotypes that subjugate women. Although it is most common in conservative circles, gender essentialism can also be seen in some branches of the feminist and LGBT+ community.
The term gender essentialism has been in common use since the 1960s. It refers to the broader sociological concept of essentialism, which is the view that every community has an "essential" set of traits key to its identity and function.
Posted by
Juniper Russo
Definition of "Heteronormativity"
Pronounced "HEH-ter-OH-NOR-muh-TIV-ih-TEE."
Related terms include cisnormativity, heterosexism, gender binary, gender essentialism .
"The paperwork for my kids' school has a space for contact information for 'mom' and one for 'dad.' That's so heteronormative."
Heternormativity is the belief or assumption that all people are heterosexual, or that heterosexuality is the default or "normal" state of human being. It tends to complement and accompany concepts like cisnormativity, gender binarism, and gender essentialism. A heteronormative society operates on the assumption that heterosexuality and specific gender features are the human "default." These assumptions can be hurtful because they are stigmatizing and marginalizing, making people who are LGBT+ feel like they are perceived as deviant or unnatural.
The concept of heteronormativity can exist on both a societal and individual level. On a societal level, heteronormativity takes the form of denying marriage equality and same-sex adoption. On an individual level, it can take a form of unintentionally inaccurate assumptions-- such as assuming that a woman is referring to a man when she mentions a spouse or fiance.
The term heteronormativity traces its origins to the early 90s, when it was popularized by Queer Theory expert Michael Warner in "Fear of a Queer Planet." It is a portmanteau of "hetero-" meaning opposite, as in heterosexual, and "normativity," meaning a system of normative assumptions.
Related terms include cisnormativity, heterosexism, gender binary, gender essentialism .
"The paperwork for my kids' school has a space for contact information for 'mom' and one for 'dad.' That's so heteronormative."
Heternormativity is the belief or assumption that all people are heterosexual, or that heterosexuality is the default or "normal" state of human being. It tends to complement and accompany concepts like cisnormativity, gender binarism, and gender essentialism. A heteronormative society operates on the assumption that heterosexuality and specific gender features are the human "default." These assumptions can be hurtful because they are stigmatizing and marginalizing, making people who are LGBT+ feel like they are perceived as deviant or unnatural.
The concept of heteronormativity can exist on both a societal and individual level. On a societal level, heteronormativity takes the form of denying marriage equality and same-sex adoption. On an individual level, it can take a form of unintentionally inaccurate assumptions-- such as assuming that a woman is referring to a man when she mentions a spouse or fiance.
The term heteronormativity traces its origins to the early 90s, when it was popularized by Queer Theory expert Michael Warner in "Fear of a Queer Planet." It is a portmanteau of "hetero-" meaning opposite, as in heterosexual, and "normativity," meaning a system of normative assumptions.
Posted by
Juniper Russo
Definition of "Ally"
Pronounced "AL-eye"
Related terms include cishet, oppression, erasure.
"As an ally to the LGBT+ community, I have chosen not to marry my opposite-sex partner until same-sex marriage is legalized."
Within the context of progressive culture, an ally is a person who is not a member of an oppressed group but who supports civil rights and social movements associated with that group. An ally acknowledges his or her position of relative privilege and uses that position to create change within the larger culture and society. Examples of acts of allyship include a sighted person writing image descriptions for a website, a cisgender man marching in a pro-choice rally, or a white person boycotting a business known for racial profiling.
The role of an ally within an oppressed community can be a point of some controversy. For example, Mia McKenzie of Black Girl Dangerous wrote a widely-circulated article criticizing self-identified allies for putting themselves in the spotlight at the expense of the people they claim to support, saying allyship is "not supposed to be about you. It's not supposed to be about your feelings. [...] It's supposed to be a way of living your life that doesn't reinforce the same oppressive behaviors you're claiming the be against."
The general consensus within oppressed communities is that a role of an ally is to listen to feedback and take their role seriously and humbly, never choosing to speak for, or over, oppressed minorities.
The term "ally" is much older than many terms used in the progressive community, first used in progressive culture with the birth of PFLAG, or Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, in 1973.
Related terms include cishet, oppression, erasure.
"As an ally to the LGBT+ community, I have chosen not to marry my opposite-sex partner until same-sex marriage is legalized."
Within the context of progressive culture, an ally is a person who is not a member of an oppressed group but who supports civil rights and social movements associated with that group. An ally acknowledges his or her position of relative privilege and uses that position to create change within the larger culture and society. Examples of acts of allyship include a sighted person writing image descriptions for a website, a cisgender man marching in a pro-choice rally, or a white person boycotting a business known for racial profiling.
The role of an ally within an oppressed community can be a point of some controversy. For example, Mia McKenzie of Black Girl Dangerous wrote a widely-circulated article criticizing self-identified allies for putting themselves in the spotlight at the expense of the people they claim to support, saying allyship is "not supposed to be about you. It's not supposed to be about your feelings. [...] It's supposed to be a way of living your life that doesn't reinforce the same oppressive behaviors you're claiming the be against."
The general consensus within oppressed communities is that a role of an ally is to listen to feedback and take their role seriously and humbly, never choosing to speak for, or over, oppressed minorities.
The term "ally" is much older than many terms used in the progressive community, first used in progressive culture with the birth of PFLAG, or Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, in 1973.
Posted by
Juniper Russo
Definition of "Cissexism"
Pronounced "sis-SEX-is-UM."
Related terms include cisgender, transphobia, transmisogyny, heterosexism and cisnormativity.
"My father made a lot of very cissexist remarks when he found out that my partner is transgender. "
Cissexism is the belief that transgender people are inherently inferior to cisgender people. It is frequently observed in both conservative anti-LGBT circles and in TERF communities. Cissexism may or may not be conscious or deliberate on part of the person expressing or feeling it. Examples of cissexist behaviors include dismissing transgenderism as a phase, mental illness, or cry for attention, or considering transgender people to be "freaks,"
delusional, or sexual deviants.
Cissexism is closely related to, but distinct from, transphobia and transmisogny. It differs from transphobia in that it is part of a system of oppression (comparable to racism, ageism, and sexism) whereas transphobia more specifically refers to a feeling of disgust or hatred (comparable to xenophobia and homophobia). The terms are, however, sometimes used interchangeably and tend to overlap significantly.
The term cissexism was first used in the late 1990s by transgender rights activists and has become increasingly popular as part of the social justice movement and online transgender and trans-inclusive culture.
Related terms include cisgender, transphobia, transmisogyny, heterosexism and cisnormativity.
"My father made a lot of very cissexist remarks when he found out that my partner is transgender. "
Cissexism is the belief that transgender people are inherently inferior to cisgender people. It is frequently observed in both conservative anti-LGBT circles and in TERF communities. Cissexism may or may not be conscious or deliberate on part of the person expressing or feeling it. Examples of cissexist behaviors include dismissing transgenderism as a phase, mental illness, or cry for attention, or considering transgender people to be "freaks,"
delusional, or sexual deviants.
Cissexism is closely related to, but distinct from, transphobia and transmisogny. It differs from transphobia in that it is part of a system of oppression (comparable to racism, ageism, and sexism) whereas transphobia more specifically refers to a feeling of disgust or hatred (comparable to xenophobia and homophobia). The terms are, however, sometimes used interchangeably and tend to overlap significantly.
The term cissexism was first used in the late 1990s by transgender rights activists and has become increasingly popular as part of the social justice movement and online transgender and trans-inclusive culture.
Posted by
Juniper Russo
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