The term heteronormativity is composed of both terms “heterosexual(ity)” and “normativity”, and refers to a social order in which heterosexuality is preferred, celebrated, and therefore normalized as a default sexual system. In this system, heterosexuality is institutionalized in social, legal, political and cultural aspects, thereby leading to the privileging of heterosexuality and the marginalization and stigmatization of non-heterosexual practices and relationships. The term was first coined in 1991 by Michael Warner and has become a central concept in Queer Theory (See Queer) namely because it reveals heterosexuality not only as an already-assumed sexual orientation, but also as a sociopolitical structure that organizes desires, practices, and persons unequally.

Crucially, the system of heteronormativity relies on maintaining the gender and sex binary (male/female, man/woman) as  social constructs that classify sex, identity, and gender roles into either end, and in a hierarchical manner (i.e. male as superior to female). By reaffirming the gender binary, heterosexuality is rendered normative, and sexual orientation becomes understood only as attraction between the two opposite genders/sexes. In this sense, the heteronormative system permeates and organizes all walks of life: from the ideal of a nuclear heterosexual family, to the institution of marriage, to acceptable gender roles, to the enforcement of sex segregation in schools, etc. The impact is the marginalization of all non-normative genders and sexualities.

In the United States and Western Europe, a history of a violent heteronormativity is evident in the forced heterosexualization of society, including through medical interventions such as forced lobotomies and electroshocks for persons identified as homosexual prevalent in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. Today, despite changes in institutional norms, several heterosexist policies continue to marginalize LGBTIQ-identified persons, such as the denial of marriage equality and same-sex adoption, continuous policing of non-normative genders and persons, and the export of violent “conversion therapy” practices from U.S. evangelicals to countries like Uganda that are taking new and severe measures in criminalizing same-sex attraction and homosexuality.  

Heteronormativity also informs LGBTIQ politics, rights, and demands. A prime example are the top demands from the gay rights movement in the U.S. which mirror heterosexual structures: the right to marriage to form a nuclear family, the right to adopt children, and the right to serve in the military. The newly coined term “homonormativity” from theorist Lisa Duggan aims to conceptualize such influence of heteronormative constructs (monogamy, procreation) on homosexual identities and politics, which often come at the expense of marginalizing other groups and  individuals, especially trans* demands such as access to hormone therapy and overall proper medical care, continuous police harassment, and killings of trans* women of color. Additional related concepts include cis-heteronormativity, which refers to a set of norms “that favor cis-gendered self-identification and opposite-sex orientation” (see Cisgender).

Examples of heteronormativity are prevalent across the region and in Lebanon. For example, the favoring of the heterosexual “family” as the main social unit of Lebanese society structures desires in a way that clearly favors inter-sectarian marital heterosexuality (as opposed to cross-sectarian, non-marital heterosexuality, or civil marriage, which is currently not possible in Lebanon). Lastly, homonormative attitudes or self-presentation can also be observed among certain practices by gay and queer men in Beirut. Terms such as “straight acting” or “masculine looking” show a preference for a form of heteronormative masculinity which eases daily navigation of the heterosexual structure at work. Likewise, the sub-category of “bear” which is used among some circles of queer and gay men in Beirut falls into ways of negotiating one’s manhood in accordance with societal heteronormativity.