Systems of oppression – The big picture (Reading)

First, it is important to talk about the complex context in which LGBTQI+ people live, and  to identify the systems of oppression, which have an impact on their external and internal experiences, sense of self and quality of life. The actual instances of violence, abuse and other manifestations of prejudices are just the tip of the iceberg: below the surface we can find the systems of oppression, the overarching ideas and mechanism that orchestrates our biases.

To refer back to The LGBTQI+ Narratives Map exercise in Module 1, systems of oppression are related to dominant ideas and ideologies  in the layer of Macrosystems. These ideas and ideologies are constantly played out in each of the systems: in institutions, institutional relations, communitines, interpersonal relationships, and also intrapersonally.

The LGBTQI+ Narratives Map from Module 1

Heteronormative society

Heterosexism refers to the belief that everyone is heterosexual, which develops a steady systemic institutionalization of attitudes and biases that privileges those who identify as heterosexual and/or are in heterosexual relationships. The heteronormative society in which we all live in is based on the (un)questionable truth that heterosexual identities and relationships are the norm.

• Homophobia and biphobia derives from this powerful and superior social reality and has in its core the imbedded fear of literally being near homosexual people, viewing them as contagious or the fear of someone thinking you are gay. It is now a term describing not only fear but also extreme hatred and disgust toward people with homosexual orientation and other sexual orientations, viewing them stereotypically as wrong, mentally sick, perverts, sinners (more on homosexuality and mental diagnostic manuals, page 11) and also perceiving heterosexual people as superior and ideal. It is also a description of everyday emotional and psychological tension related to non-heterosexual orientation among straight people. Although not all people who are homophobic will act upon their beliefs, the widespread stigma contributes to high levels of intolerance, experienced by LGBTQI+ people.
• Monosexism explains the notion that we can only be attracted to one sex. We could be either heterosexual or homosexual. Deriving from this belief is of course the hatred towards people who are bisexual within the community because they are viewed as indecisive, promiscuous or just trendy (biphobia).

Similarly, the notion that there are only two genders based on one’s sex assignments at birth is described as genderism. These beliefs are enforced in various contexts and institutionalized in many ways. The most simple examples are the ones with the labels “Male” and “Female” we see on the signs of toilets in private, public, corporate, administrative, recreational places, or the boxes that we tick every time when apply to a job, a university etc. So, imagine someone who identifies as transgender in a daily situation where they have to constantly make a decision to compromise with their genuine gender identity. Coming from a privileged position of being heterosexual cisgender professionals, these elements of reality might not sound like a big thing. But they, along many others, shape a constant sense of shame, misfit, being wrong, not belonging, being invisible in someone who identifies as gender queer (as an umbrella term for all who don’t fall in the cisgender category).

• Transphobia derives from genderism and includes a wide range of negative attitudes directed at devaluing trans people.  For more information on transphobia see Module 2.
• Interphobia – Intersex people were mentioned earlier in the chapter, when describing the notion of sex assigned at birth. Based on the binary notion many nonconsensual genital surgeries (intersex genital mutilation) are performed on intersex newborns everyday around the world. Intersex people are facing interphobia via violence, mutilation, undesirable hormonal treatment, physical interventions, severe discrimination in many forms. All these actions against intersex people have been recognized as tortures and crimes against humanity by the UN in 2015.