Heterosexuality

Heterosexuality. Erotic scene between a young man and a courtesan. Detail of an Attic red-figure oinochoe, v. 430 BC. J.-C. Provenance: Locri (Italy).

Heterosexuality is the attraction of an individual to individuals of the opposite sex. A woman to a man and vice versa, or in the animal world , a male to female and vice versa.

Definitions

From the Greek heteros (different). The term "heterosexual" appears only after the formation of the word "homosexual", which its creator, Karl-Maria Kertbeny , initially opposed the term "normalsexuel. Although found in his letters as early as 1868, the adjective is not published until 1880, in German. In French, the word appears in 1891, and the name "heterosexuality" in 1894. The abbreviation is also straight, in a more familiar context.

The term is used to refer to heterosexuality:

1. The sexual orientation of a person towards people of such opposite. For example, we speak of a heterosexual woman when it feels a sexual attraction (and possibly emotional) towards some men.
2. The condition of a person who is defined in terms of sexual identity as heterosexual.
3. Sexual practices among people of the opposite sex.

Heterosexuality, evident in biology by the desire for sexual embrace (very dissociated, in humans, the instinct of reproduction) and physical conformation of sexual characteristics , can not be reduced in all human societies. The exact causes of heterosexuality as social behavior, which may be related to the biology, are not more established in the current state of knowledge, than other sexual orientations.

Ability to reproduce

Heterosexual couple kissing, the woman was pregnant.

Heterosexuality is different from the homosexual by choice of subject , in the language psychoanalytic. However, both are also built one than the other, and it is easy to define heterosexuality by opposition and the negative of homosexuality, it is harder to define itself. The criterion of reproduction seems central, although it is far from systematic. Psychoanalysis has conservative heterosexuality as a final state of sexual development in line with the purpose reproductive shown as a teleology, an ultimate goal.

The history of heterosexuality is confounded to some extent with the family history , and political demographic ( natalism , populism ) that promote massive heterosexuality. As the care of the children were traditionally assigned to women, often making the maternity their unique identity, feminists have often seen in heterosexuality apparatus to reproduce inequalities between women and men (see patriarchy ).

But the infertility , the birth control as forms of conjugal sexuality without ( Tantrism , platonic love or chastity ), significantly reduced the scope of this criterion being heterosexual does not necessarily return to breed. In addition, the forms of homosexual parenting undermine the idea of a monopoly of the heterosexual family. If the only breeding remains the privilege of meeting a male gamete and a female gamete, the following companies raising children is not necessarily restricted to biological parents.

Initiation and married life

In the adolescence , the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics in strong differentiation. The anxiety about sexuality and taboos promote flirtations without acting out. On this occasion, the more tolerated homosexual experiences as a trial and error before a desired heterosexuality as unsurpassable. Interest in sex is a norm , which takes the form of a constant socialization. People with different orientation are often slow to cope.

Loyalty seems a criterion, but it is fragile: the adultery , the long tradition of cocufiage in the West and the use of prostitution is confirmed, alongside polygamy and the union free. Conjugality, if it is usually denied to non-heterosexual people, is much more widespread, and the movement for gay marriage attest to the strength of the conjugal relationship outside the heterosexual sphere, either as a couple exclusive or " open ". Outside the conjugal couple and the celibacy for people of any orientation.

Complementarity: Sex and Gender

The test of complementarity in female / male , based on the thought of "sexual difference", an essentialism that is found to Aristotle to Franoise Hritier , is equally illusory effeminate men or masculine women may be heterosexual. Sex and gender do not necessarily overlap: a woman caught by a masculine woman is homosexual. There are many ways to live his heterosexuality, away from the machismo , according to his preferences for gender and sexual practices.

Thus, gender identity, sexual identity adopted following may be surprising, as these examples of autobiographies and fiction: when Francis Coupry titles one of his books I'm lesbian (1978), which reflects one of The film's characters Passengers Jean-Claude Guiguet , a heterosexual man considering himself as a woman. The pendant is Marie-Aude Murail , who in his autobiographical first book Passage to identify a boy, attracted to boys: a gay, so. This is called PoMosexualit. More importantly, the case of transsexual and , whether homosexual or heterosexual desires, just repeat the ideas of heterosexuality, as we take into account their gender or sex of departure to arrival. The masculinity is not necessarily complementary counterpoint to the feminine.

Porosity sexualities

Furthermore, heterosexuality as homosexuality are considered monosexuality exclusive. But bisexuality disrupts these guidelines monolithic and blur their boundaries. Bisexuality mind (see biphobia ) and bisexuals are often incorrectly classified as homosexual or heterosexual. Enforced heterosexuality, as social pressures, is often tolerated in bisexuality, provided it is discreet, while discouraging homosexuality by means of discrimination and homophobic violence. (See Gay Liberation Movement .)

The scale of Alfred Kinsey can understand human sexuality in terms of "continuum" sexuality of much of the population within a dominant orientation more or less colored by fantasies or experiences "other". The three orientations overlap, and these allosexualits jointly oppose the autosexuality and the asexuality.

A preferred identity

A man and woman holding hands.

Heterosexuality is usually the only sexual orientation accepted and prevalent in societies heterocentrism. The peculiarity of heterosexuality over other sexual orientations is to be naturalized by the dominant discourses (including religious ) and pass for the only sexuality, the others being seen as deviant. Enforced heterosexuality and gender inequalities are forms of oppression related to heterosexuality ^, .

In societies patriarchal , one of the privileges of heterosexuality is the claim to universality, and the use of an epistemologically superior to other sexualities. Some intellectuals cultivate this view sometimes present heterosexuality as threatened by the movements of recognitions LGBT : nothing is less certain. These movements are not aimed at the disappearance of heterosexuality, or undermine, in terms of social recognition of marriage, and the heterophobia remains fanstasme. Majority, heterosexuality is not only protected: public policies often contribute to discrimination against other sexualities.

In societies patriarchal , where sexual repression is exerted on all forms of sexual expression fun lovers, the state is highly desirable that heterosexuality leads to a paradox. For some homosexuals who built the homophobia , the United States of America, all are good ways to become heterosexual: conversion therapy, aversive treatments, electroshock ... ^, . The challenge to "convert" and high rates of "failure" (sometimes the attempt leads to the denial of any sexuality) demonstrate that become exclusively heterosexual is not obvious, even if desired.

Homosexuality, bisexuality and heterosexuality interact and maintain constant communication. Highlighting the arbitrary nature of heterosexuality and conventional under his false evidence does not undermine the feelings, practices and culture anyway dominant, but can restore its social and constitute an object of historical study . The many rituals of seduction , expression of the desire and the multiple forms of conjugal appear as unexpected riches.

References

Additions

Bibliography

• Elisabeth Badinter , XY. Of male identity, Paris, Odile Jacob, 1992, The Pocket Book, 1994.
• Wayne R. Besen, Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth, Harrington Park Press, 2004.
• Andre Burguire , Christiane Klapisch-Zuber, Martine Segalen and Franoise Zonabend (ed.), History of the family, three volumes, Paris, The Pocket Book, 1994.
• Catherine Deschamps, Laurent and Christelle Gaissad Tap (Eds.), Straight, speech, places, practices, Paris, EPEL, 2009.
• Alain Giami , "One Hundred Years of heterosexuality" , Proceedings of the Social Science Research , 1999, Volume 128, Number 128, pp. 38-45.
• Marcela Iacub , Empire of the stomach for another story of motherhood, Paris, Fayard, 2004.
• Chrys Ingraham (ed.), Thinking Straight: The Power, the Promise, And The Paradox of Heterosexuality, London, Routledge, 2004.
• Stevi Jackson, Heterosexuality in Question, London, Sage, 1999.
• Jonathan Ned Katz , The Invention of Heterosexuality (The Invention of Heterosexuality, New York, Plume / Penguin, 1995), Paris, EPEL, 2002.
• Jean-Claude Kaufmann , The Filling domestic, Paris, Nathan, 1992, and the only woman and the prince charming, Nathan, 1999 (rd. Pocket).
• Sabine Melchior-Bonnet and Aude de Tocqueville, History of adultery, extramarital temptation from antiquity to the present, La Martiniere, 2000.
• Sabine Prokhor, Sex prescribed sexual difference in question, Paris, Flammarion, 2000.
• Adrienne Rich , Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence, London, OnlyWomen Press, 1981.
• Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick , "Constructing meanings, queer Eribon Didier (ed.), Studies gay and lesbians, Paris, Centre Pompidou, 1998.
• Anne-Marie Sohn, From first kiss to the alcove, the sexuality of the French daily, 1850-1950, Paris, Aubier-Montaigne, 1998.
• Louis-Georges Tin , The Invention of heterosexual culture, Paris, Autrement, 2008.
• Monique Wittig , The Straight Mind, Paris, Balland Modern, 2001.

See also

• Heterosexuality animal
• Homosexuality
• Bisexuality
• Human Sexuality
• Erotic behavior

• Portal sexuality and sexology
• Psychology portal

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