Heteronormativity
‘The belief or assumption that all people are heterosexual, or that heterosexuality is the default or "normal" state of human being. Can be hurtful because they are stigmatizing and marginalizing, making people who are LGBT+ feel like they are perceived as deviant or unnatural.’
Personal accounts
“For me this is about assuming everyone in a space is straight. My experience of this has been when programmes and events are put on and all the images you see are of straight couples or the themes are only about heterosexual marriage. It’s also about Orthodox Jewish spaces I am part of assuming that heterosexuality is superior to homosexuality. For me, heteronormativity continues because of silence and for it to be addressed people need to make an active effort to be vocal and include a mix of relationship types into their language, rituals and community forms (often it’s just Mr and Mrs)”
“Whilst supporting an individual who identified as LGBT+ who also had an intellectual disability, their issues were not taken as seriously as their heterosexual counterparts, and they were often considered as invisible. ”
