Midterm 2

Heteronormativity is defined as the way heterosexuality is constructed as the norm. The way this is shown in our society is in places like advertisements and commercials, where heterosexual couples are the only sexual couples shown. Another place is in card stores in the “love” and “anniversary” sections where there are only cards made for the “normal” heterosexual couple. All these things show society and make knows to the world that only being heterosexual is normal and that all other sexual relations are not accepted.
The concept of heteronormativity defines and shapes every aspect of a relationship today. One way that it influences it is through the dominant construction of masculinity. In our society, the politics of sexuality come from the politics of the general world. When a man and a women come together in a relationship, it comes with strings attached. The man is automatically the dominant partner, as with males having most power in society. They make the money, have higher jobs, and are physically stronger. In the “ideal” family, the father figure is above all and the father has the say of what happens within the family. This is what is normalized in our society, therefore nothing else is accepted.
Another thing that is influenced by heteronormativity is the reproductive health. Since males are considered the dominant gender, when it comes to reproductive decisions and health, it used to be seen as the males decision and the female had no say. Recently thought, birth control, parenting options, and birth plans have become more and more centered around what the female wants. With this new development, it takes the male out of dominance and therefore, not making them as powerful, breaking the norm.
One more way to express how much power heteronormativity has had on our society is through gender divisions of labor. In our world today, women and men have very different job descriptions. Men usually have very high profile jobs, while women, on the other hand, usually have not as high profile jobs. On top of that, the jobs that they do have, even if they are very important, women do not get paid as much as men do. Also, there seems to be a big problem with horizontal segregation in the job force. This is where women are being segregated across jobs and being placed in certain fields. Women tend to have certain types of jobs like, clerical, retail, sales, and educational positions. All of these jobs are not seen as important as some that men tend to have.
In the last few weeks we have not only learned about heteronormality, but also how our bodies play a role in gender expression. How we look, what we wear, and how we portray ourselves all play a very big role in who we are and how we are looked upon. Our bodies not only define us, but also define society and the role of men and of women.
The things we wear and the things about us that the garment excentuates are something that every person has to realize tells everyone else a little about who you are. With the ideals of women today, we especially have to be aware of what we are putting on our bodies. For example, many shirts and bras today excentuate a women’s breasts. This is because our “ideal” women’s body is skinny with nice large breasts. This example of a body project is just one of the many things in which society must change to help us grow in how we look at each other and treat each other.
Not only does society have this underlying “ideal” body image, but media also does a great job of telling us what is good and bad. For one, cosmetic companies are always trying to sell the most “natural” makeup, but aren’t you ruining the actual natural look by adding something like makeup to your face? Also, media does a great job of putting ideas in peoples’ head about what your body should and shouldn’t look like. On most all advertisements, magazines, and billboards there are only skinny good looking people. Therefore, when anyone looks at it they assume they have to look like that person. The worst is having kids see that kind of stuff. If they are seeing it as young as they are in things in their lives, for example, Barbie, they assume they have to look like that and grow up thinking that. That’s why this is such a hard thing to stop, because it is everywhere and people start believing the media at such a young age.
Sexual violence is also something we should be concerned about and is connected to how we portray our bodies. Sexual violence is most of the time directed towards women. One way someone can be sexually violated is through rape. Women’s clothing and how we are suppose to look make things like sex and rape have a very big grey area. If women wear clothes that are “slutty” then a lot of guys say, “They are asking for it, “ and that the women wanted to have sex with him. In reality though, yea, maybe the clothing is a big advocate of personality, but it doesn’t matter when it comes to sex and sexual violence. People wonder how our societies sexual violence rate is so high in women, but maybe that issue can’t be fixed on the surface. Maybe its starts deep down, all the way down to how each one of us is taught to act and look like.