#heterosexuality

Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage licence. Indeed, the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California constitution the notion that opposite-sex couples are superior to same-sex couples. ↗

— Vaughn Walker

#discrimination #gay-rights #heterosexuality #homosexuality #law

I realize that homosexuality is a serious problem for anyone who is - but then, of course, heterosexuality is a serious problem for anyone who is, too. And being a man is a serious problem and being a woman is, too. Lots of things are problems. ↗

— Edward Gorey

#being #being a man #course #heterosexuality #homosexuality

In itself, homosexuality is as limiting as heterosexuality: the ideal should be to be capable of loving a woman or a man; either, a human being, without feeling fear, restraint, or obligation. ↗

— Simone de Beauvoir

#capable #either #fear #feeling #heterosexuality

Heterosexuality is dangerous. It tempts you to aim at a perfect duality of desire. ↗

— Marguerite Duras

#dangerous #desire #duality #heterosexuality #perfect

Women have married because it was necessary, in order to survive economically, in order to have children who would not suffer economic deprivation or social ostracism, in order to remain respectable, in order to do what was expected of women because coming out of "abnormal" childhoods they wanted to feel "normal," and because heterosexual romance has been represented as the great female adventure, duty, and fulfillment. We may faithfully or ambivalently have obeyed the institution, but our feelings - and our sensuality - have not been tamed or contained within it. ↗

— Adrienne Rich

#marriage #norms #faith

I think men can really get in the way when you are trying to sort your life out and get on with it. Because they just take up so much space. I’m not under any illusions that I could have been where I am now in literary terms if I had been heterosexual. I really believe I would not be. ↗

— Jeanette Winterson

#men-and-women #relationships #men

The most pernicious message relayed by pornography is that women are natural sexual prey to men and love it; that sexuality and violence are congruent; and that for women sex is essentially masochistic, humiliation pleasurable, physical abuse erotic. But along with this message comes another, not always recognized: that enforced submission and the use of cruelty, if played out in heterosexual pairing, is sexually "normal," while sensuality between women, including erotic mutuality and respect, is "queer," "sick," and either pornographic in itself or not very exciting compared with the sexuality of whips and bondage. Pornography does not simply create a climate in which sex and violence are interchangeable; it widens the range of behavior considered acceptable from men in heterosexual intercourse-behavior which reiteratively strips women of their autonomy, dignity, and sexual potential, including the potential of loving and being loved by women in mutuality and integrity. ↗

— Adrienne Rich

#heterosexuality #pornography #women #love

It would have been convenient to be gay. Just because of the grooming, the narcissism, stuff like that. But I have this kind of roaring heterosexuality. Traditional, uncomplicated heterosexuality, an almost cliched Robin Askwith thing. ↗

— Russell Brand

#because #been #cliched #convenient #gay

I believe that the fact and the reality of homosexuality and heterosexuality and of opposite and same-gender unions should be taught in our public schools without a value judgement system also being offered. ↗

— Ed Case

#being #believe #fact #heterosexuality #homosexuality