Heteronormativity and Homonormativity as Practical and Moral Resources

Abstract

Studies of heteronormativity have emphasized its normative content and repressive functions, but few have considered the strategic use of heteronormative and homonormative precepts to shape sexual selves, public identities, and social relations. Adopting an interactionist approach, this article analyzes interviews with homosexual elders to uncover their use of heteronormative premises (specifically, the presumption of heterosexuality, and the gender binary) to pass as heterosexual. Informants also used homonormative precepts, grounded in a postwar, pre-gay liberation assimilationist homosexual politics they adopted in their early years and maintained in later life, to justify passing and to frame their understanding and evaluation of past and present homosexual practices. Viewed through a homonormative lens, heteronormativity provided the tools for personal survival in a hostile society and for the collective production of a respectable homosexual culture. Informants’ strategic use of heteronormativity can help explain heteronormativity’s survival despite the incoherence and fragility of its content.

Iridescent Life Course: LGBTQ Aging Research and Blueprint for the Future – A Systematic Review

“…Grounded theory was used in 10.6% ( n = 7) of the articles to assess the meaning and generation of theory through the analysis of qualitative data [36, 38, 50, 61, 65-67]. Narrative gerontology was used to explore the experiences of older lesbians in attaining sobriety [60].…”

Queer Categories: Queer(y)ing the Identification ‘Older Lesbian, Gay and/or Bisexual (LGB) Adults’ and its Implications for Organizational Research, Policy and Practice

“…There is a sense, therefore, in which Ernest is emphasising contemporary forms of homonormativity (Rosenfeld, 2009;Duggan, 2003), whilst simultaneously distancing himself from them. Previous research has indicated that older gay men like Ernest, who grew up in an era before homosexuality was decriminalised, are more likely to attempt to 'pass' as heterosexual than those who grew up after decriminalisation (Rosenfeld, 2002;Knauer, 2011;2009).…”

“…Previous research has indicated that older gay men like Ernest, who grew up in an era before homosexuality was decriminalised, are more likely to attempt to 'pass' as heterosexual than those who grew up after decriminalisation (Rosenfeld, 2002;Knauer, 2011;2009). However, exploring Ernest's own categorisation work further shows, I think, that this is more complex.…”

Cidadania sexual sob suspeita: uma meditação sobre as fundações homonormativas e neo-liberais de uma cidadania de "consolação"

“…A primeira, a que chama homonormatividade do pós-guerra e que caracteriza como sendo marcada pelas políticas de passar por heterossexual (politics of passing), ou seja, em que os indivíduos usam de um silêncio em relação à sua sexualidade ou identidade de género e tentam passar despercebidos como forma de evitar discriminações. A estratégia para ter maior aceitação passa por uma forte conformidade às normas de género e por desenvolver esforços para fazer-se passar por heterossexual, mantendo inquestionados os pressupostos heterossexuais (Rosenfeld, 2009). A outra forma de homonormatividade que a autora chama de neo-liberal é aquela que aludimos na primeira secção, ou seja, uma formação normativa que não questiona as instituições e valores heterossexuais, procurando antes a sua manutenção e inclusão dentro dessas instituições (Duggan, 2003).…”