Heteronormativity

• Posted by Cristine Jennifer Shye. BL. B/acc September 29, 2019 Filed in Member's Blogs 2,311 views
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  Heteronormativity is a term used in the discussion of gender and society, mostly, but not exclusively within the field of critical theory. It is used to describe, and, frequently, to criticize how many social institutions and social policies are seen to reinforce certain beliefs. These include the belief that human beings fall into two distinct and complementary categories, male and female; that sexual and marital relations are normal only when between two people of different genders; and that each gender has certain natural roles in life. Thus, physical sex, gender identity, and gender roles, should in any given person all align to either male or female norms, and heterosexuality is considered to be the only normal sexual orientation. The norms this term describes or criticizes might be overt, covert, or implied. Those who identify and criticize heteronormativity say that it distorts discourse by stigmatizing alternative concepts of both sexuality and gender, and makes certain types of self-expression more difficult.
  
  This concept was formulated for use in the exploration and critique of the traditional norms of sex, gender identity, gender roles and sexuality, and of the social implications of those institutions. It is descriptive of a dichotomous system of categorization that directly links social behavior and self identity with one's genitalia. That is (among other) to say that, because there are strictly defined concepts of maleness and femaleness, there are similarly expected behaviors for both males and females.
  
  Originally conceived to describe the norms against which non-heterosexuals struggle, it quickly became incorporated into both the gender and the transgender debate. It is also often used in postmodernist and feminist debates. Those who use this concept frequently point to the difficulty posed to those who hold a dichotomous view of sexuality by the presence of clear exceptions -- from freemartins in the bovine world to intersexual human beings with the sexual characteristics of both sexes. These exceptions are taken as direct evidence that neither sex nor gender are concepts that can be reduced to an either/or proposition.
  
  In a heteronormative society, the binary choice of male and female for one's gender identity is viewed as leading to a lack of possible choice about one's gender role and sexual identity. Also, as part of the norms established by society for both genders, is the requirement that the individuals should feel and/or express desire only for partners of the opposite sex. In other critiques, such as the work of Eve Sedgwick (an American theorist in the fields of gender studies, and queer theory), this heteronormative pairing is viewed as defining sexual orientation exclusively in terms of the sex/gender of the person one chooses to have sex with, ignoring other preferences one might have about sex.
  
  In a heteronormative society, men and women are interpreted to be natural complements, socially as well as biologically, and especially when it comes to reproduction. Woman and men are necessary for procreation, therefore male/female coupling is assumed to be the norm.
  
  The concept of heteronormativity seeks to make visible the underlying norms or "normal" society. It questions the common and often tightly held notion that only what is statistically typical is normal and good. It embraces the notion (in the philosophy of ethics) that "is does not imply ought."
  
  Heteronormativity and patriarchy
  
  Heteronormativity is often strongly associated with, and sometimes even confused with patriarchy. However, a patriarchal system does not necessarily have a binary gender system, and vice versa — it merely privileges the masculine gender over all others — regardless of the number of others.

  Still, heteronormativity is often seen as one of the pillars of a patriarchal society: the traditional role of men is reinforced and perpetuated through heteronormative mores, rules, and even laws that distinguish between individuals based upon their apparent sex, or based on their refusal to conform to the gender roles that are normal to their society. Consequently, feminism can be seen as concerned with fighting "heteronormativity" and the prescriptions it is seen to have for women.
  
  Groups that challenge traditional gender structure
  
  Critics of heteronormativity say that the existence of intersex, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people undermines any fundamental assumption that gender is naturally dichotomous. They believe it problematizes justifications such as the appeal to natural law, or certain Christian notions of faith in God's plan or belief in the goodness of Creation.
  
  Many supporters of heteronormativity are aware that these groups exist, and reconcile that with their beliefs by making the "is" vs. "ought" distinction. On the other hand, if what is typical is somehow related to what is good, then the fact that these groups are all numerical minorities may be significant. The issue of choice vs. biological pre-determination is also an important consideration, and supporters and critics often disagree about those facts.
  
  Supporters of heteronormativity may thus consider members of LGBTI people abnormal, diseased, or immoral. The range of possible social responses has and does include tolerance, pity, shunning, violence, and attempts to help members of these groups become more "normal" through compassionate or even forceful means
  
  Intersexuals
  
  Intersexual people have biological characteristics which are not unambigously either male or female. If such a condition is detected, intersexual people are almost always assigned a gender at birth. Surgery (usually involving modification to the genitalia) is often performed to produce an unambiguously male or female body, without the individual's consent. The child is then usually raised and enculturated as a member of the assigned gender, which may or may not match gender identity throughout life or some remaining sex characteristics (for example, genes).

  Some individuals who have been subjected to these interventions have objected that had they been consulted at an age when they were able to give informed consent then they would have declined these surgical and social interventions.
  
  Gender theorists argue that gender assignment to intersex individuals is a clear case of heteronormativity, in which a biological reality is actually denied in order to maintain a binary set of sexes and genders.
  
  Transgendered people
  
  * often seek gender reassignment therapy, thereby violating the assumption that only unambiguous female or male bodies exist.
  * do not develop a gender identity that corresponds to their body; in fact, several never develop a gender identity that is plainly male or female.
  * often do not behave according to the gender role assigned to them, even before transitioning. This is especially true for trans men, but also many trans women.
  * often identify as gay or lesbian after transitioning, and are often lumped together with homosexuals relative to their birth sex, although that is almost never correct. While some trans men did identify as lesbians for a time (although this is still a minority), trans women who identify as gay men are very rare.
  
  Some societies consider transgendered behavior a crime worthy of capital punishment, including Saudi Arabia, and many other non-western nations. In other countries, certain forms of violence against transgendered people may be tacitly endorsed when prosecutors and juries refuse to investigate, prosecute, or convict those who perform the murders and beatings. Currently, in parts of North America and Europe.  Other societies have considered transgendered behavior as an psychiatric illness serious enough to justify institutionalization.
  
  Certain restrictions on the ability of transgendered people to obtain gender-related medical treatment has been blamed on heteronormativity. In medical communities with these restrictions, patients have the option of either suppressing transsexual behavior and conforming to the norms of their birth sex (which may be necessary to avoid social stigma or even violence), or adhering strictly to norms for their "new" sex in order to qualify for gender reassignment surgery and hormonal treatments (if any treatment is offered at all). These norms might include: dress and mannerisms, choice of occupation, choice of hobbies, and the gender of one's mate (heterosexuality required). (For example, trans women might be expected to trade a "masculine" job for a more "feminine" one - e.g. become a secretary instead of a lawyer.) Attempts to achieve and ambiguous or "alternative" gender identity would not be supported or allowed. Some medical communities, especially since the 1990s, have adopted more accommodating practices, but many have not.
  
  Many governments and official agencies have also been criticized as having heteronormative systems that classify people into "male" and "female" genders in problematic ways. Different jurisdictions use different definitions of gender, including by genitalia, DNA, hormone levels (including some official sports bodies), or birth sex (which means one's gender cannot ever be officially changed). Sometimes gender reassignment surgery is a requirement for an official gender change, and often "male" and "female" are the only choices available, even for intersexed or transgendered people. Because most governments only allow heterosexual marriages, official gender changes can have implications for related rights and privileges, such as child custody, inheritance, and medical decision-making.

   

  Further
  
  Most people have a clearly defined sex:For most, but not all people, their sex may be defined in terms of any one of the following three factors:
  
  Their genetic or biological sex: Every cell in a person's body contains sex chromosomes that determine a person's genetic sex. In almost all cases, these are XX chromosomes for females, and XY for males.
  
  Their gender identity: This involves their "internal sense of being either male or female."
  
  Their physiological gender: The genitalia of the vast majority of newborns are clearly either male or female, and remain so throughout life. Their appearance determines the sex that they are assigned at birth.
  The vast majority of people are cisgendered: they will mature with their biological sex, gender identity and physiological gender in harmony. For example, for a typical woman:
  
  Each cell in a her body will contain 46 chromosomes including a pair of XX sex chromosomes -- commonly written 46,XX.
  She will identify as a female. By the age of one, she might show a preference for more feminine-typical toys. By age three she will probably have a definite sense of being a boy or girl. By age five, she will "... come to believe that sex is unchanging with time. This is the point at which many people think that a child's gender identity becomes fully established and fixed. Then all the child's energy seems to focus on adopting behaviors consistent with that sex."
  Her genitals and internal reproductive organs will be female.
  
  Some people do not have a clearly defined sex:
  Not every person fits neatly into the binary female/male system. There are many exceptions.
  
  Consider what genetic or biological sex can involve:
  Rarely, a newborn will have 45 chromosomes including only one X sex chromosome referred to as 45,X. Other forms of DNA are 47/XXX, 48/XXXX, 49/XXXXX, 47/XYY, 47/XXY, 48/XXXY, 49.XXXXY, or 49/XXXYY.
  
  Some newborns have different numbers of chromosomes in different cells within their bodies. This can be caused by complications in early cell division at the pre-embryo stage. When multiple sex chromosomes appear in the same body, they are called sex-chromosome mosaics. They may have combinations of normal male and female chromosomes, typically 46,XY; 45,X; or 46,XX, within their body.
  
  Sometimes, an ova with two nuclei will be formed in an ovary, be fertilized by two sperm, and grow into a chimera -- a person with two DNAs. One possibility is that they might have some 46,XX and some 46,XY (a normal female and normal male) chromosome configuration.
  
  Sometimes two separate zygotes (fertilized ova) can fuse shortly after conception and develop into a single embryo with two different DNAs.

  Consider gender identity:
  
  A minority of individuals develop a sense of being of the opposite sex from their biological and physiological gender." 1 They may describe themselves as a man trapped in a woman's body, or having a man's body with a woman's brain. They experience Gender Identity Disorder, a.k.a. Gender Dysphoria.
  
  1  Some people identify as both male and female.
  2  Others identify as being of a third gender, as being "two spirited" or of having no gender at all.
  3  Some will be intersexual. They will have an "anatomy or physiology which differ from cultural ideals of male and female." Some will have genitalia which are ambiguous, others with both male and female components, and still others will be missing external genitalia entirely.
  
  Our cultures' tendency to divide people neatly into male and female suddenly looks inadequate and over simplistic.
  
  Beliefs about sex, gender identity and gender dysphoria by transgendered persons, transsexuals, social and religious liberals, secularists, etc:
  They are much more likely to accept the findings of genetics and human sexuality research and acknowledge that the binary male/female system is inadequate. They view transgendered persons who are identified as male when they are born but make the transition to female later in life -- often referred to as MTF transsexuals -- as female. Similarly they consider female to male transsexuals (FTM) who have made the transition to be male.
  
  "The transsexual appears to be a perfectly normal male or female with normal primary and secondary sexual characteristics. ... transsexualism cannot be detected visually or by any other means. Since other people can't see anything amiss, they conclude that transsexualism is not a physical defect, but more an emotional/psychological problem. It is a common but erroneous belief that with a little self-discipline, or with counseling, a transsexual person can act normally and accept their lot in life. ..."
  
  After decades of trying, psychiatrists have had to admit defeat in conquering this dilemma. In all the years that psychiatry has tried to 'cure' transsexualism, not one case has responded positively and permanently."

  for further posts and replies https://gendersociety.com/forums/topic/7805/heteronormativity?page=1