heteronormativity (heteronormative) 

A pervasive and institutionalized ideological system that naturalizes heterosexuality as universal; it must continually reproduce itself to maintain hegemony over other non-normative sexualities and ways of identity construction.

marriage, traditional family values, the Christian Coalition, suburbia, 'the American Dream'

heteronormativity (heteronormative) by A-d-am April 5, 2004

heteronormativity 

A term that can be used to describe institutions, policies and beliefs that reinforce the rigid categories of male and female. These categories, supposedly, determine our sex, sexuality, sexual desire, gender identity, and gender roles.

The proposed law to make sure homosexuals never have marriage rights is just another step down the slippery heteronormativity slope.

heteronormativity by puchella May 15, 2006

Heteronormativity 

The reason all the commercials featuring happy families, show heterosexual relationships. The reason that if you say, "I'm seeing someone" a person might automatically ask who the person is, referring to them as "she" if you're a boy, or "he" if you're a girl. It is the belief that only male/female relationships are "normal" and that everyone falls into two distinct categories: male and female. It is the assumption that a girl will grow up and marry a man, and that a boy will grow up and marry a woman.

Friend: "Who's your crush?"
Boy: "I don't want to say."

Friend: "Come on, tell me her name!"

Boy: "...it's a he."

Friend: *shocked* "Ohh...sorry"
Boy: "It's not your fault. It's just that we grew up in a world ruled by heteronormativity."

Heteronormativity by I_write_books August 7, 2017

heteronormativity (heteronormative) 

See previous definition. Additionally: When Political Correctness goes so far as to attack the natural order of male-female relations.

Traditional marriages are politically incorrect because they're grossly heteronormative.

Wow, a husband and wife!? That's SO hetero.

heteronormativity (heteronormative) by Politicallyincorrect March 12, 2005

heteronormativity 

Straight up made up

Heteronormativity is sad for the gays

heteronormativity by HappyBirthdayRaven November 24, 2019

heteronormativity 

it’s bullying towards LGBTQ

heteronormativity “sad day for gays” it’s a totally made up word of straight up discrimination.

heteronormativity by Willis did it June 20, 2021

Hegemonormativism

A variant of officionormativism that centers specifically on hegemonic discourses—the dominant cultural, political, and intellectual frameworks that hold power in a given society. The hegemonormativist treats whatever is mainstream, widely accepted, or institutionally powerful as automatically correct, and views any challenge to hegemony as irrational or deviant. This bias operates across domains: political orthodoxy, cultural norms, academic paradigms, and media narratives. It naturalizes existing power structures by equating dominance with truth, making it difficult to even conceive of alternatives. Hegemonormativism is the comfortable default of those who never question the air they breathe.

Example: “She never questioned capitalism, liberal democracy, or the mainstream media—hegemonormativism had made the dominant order feel like reality itself.”

Hegemonormativism by Abzugal March 31, 2026