Gender Socialization And Heteronormative Expectations

The establishment of an enforced and naturalized heterosexuality entails and standardizes gender as a binary relation in which the masculine term is distinguished from a feminine term. This differentiation is accomplished primarily through the practices of heterosexual desires and behaviors. From the time we are born, we are taught that ‘boys wear blue and play with trucks’, while ‘girls wear pink and play with dolls’. This theory of gender socialization stands as a testament to the notion that what we perceive as “normal” behavior in our society is largely determined by a culturally defined heterosexual set of norms and values. Consequently, queer individuals have gone through a host of maltreatments, discrimination and have often been regarded
Hence, one of the key ways in which queer relationships have challenged heteronormative expectations is by the act of having and raising children. Seeing as though a traditional family consisted of a husband, wife, and children, this queer family structure combats the definition of what constitutes a ‘‘legitimate’’ family. When thinking of modern parenthood, there are a host of ways for queer persons to have kids compared to historically having to rely on previous heterosexual relationships. These include: adoption, reproductive assistance and creative kinship. In essence, this weakens the “biological relatedness” ideal. Additionally, children with same-gender parents tend to have the same outcomes as those of opposite-gender parents overall. Research shows that they show no difference in self-esteem, cognitive functioning, intimate relationship quality, etc. (LGBT Parenting) Moreover, queer parents encourage their children to adopt more fluid gender roles, while also constructing more egalitarian roles in reference to household