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Heteronormativity In The Media

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This section will further explain heteronormativity and its many facets. It will discuss its appearance in the media as well as the effect on children; and it will look at why a discussion of heteronormativity is timely and ultimately why it is important. This section is important because it discusses why this paper is relevant to you as a possible heterosexual individual and how heteronormative language and ideas in the media can negatively impact you and others. It relates to the overarching theme because this section makes clear how heteronormative language is present in the media, the law, and even elder care, all of which further perpetuates the stagnation in those ideals. Ultimately, even though heteronormativity was a concept that was first discussed over twenty years ago, it is still relevant today.
Heteronormative views are widespread in the media. In a recent study of advertising practices, it was found that women are less often portrayed as figures of authority but more often portrayed in familial settings. As mentioned above, heteronormativity is not just about sexuality. Heteronormativity …show more content…
Unfortunately, heteronormative views touch children as well. Society starts heteronormalizing children when they are quite young. According to Lori Day of the Huffington Post, highly gendered toys present an exclusively hetero-based world to children. Some obvious examples that she names are representations of male/female couples, elementary school story problems about "Susie's" mommy and daddy, and wedding books that have bride/groom based graphics. Day asserts that children can grow up with feelings of isolation if they are not conforming to these norms. They are forced into conforming blanks or left feeling ostracized. When a certain group of people is favored or held out as the norm then, logically, the opposite group or those outside of the norm has to be disfavored or considered

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