Heteronormativity

Abstract

Heteronormativity describes the ways in which heterosexuality is normalized through myriad practices, so that it becomes naturalized as the only legitimate form of sexuality. It has therefore been a key term in work on geographies of sexuality, where there has been discussion of the spaces of heteronormativity, including home, work, social space, and public space. The term is often associated with queer theory and therefore with attempts to denaturalize and denormalize heterosexuality, to open up a space for queer desires, acts, and identities. Doing so also means acknowledging the role of academic disciplines, including geography, as sites where heteronormativity is produced.