Compulsory heterosexuality

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Compulsory heterosexuality, commonly abbreviated to comphet, is a social construct common to Western culture that perpetuates the idea that heterosexuality is the expected norm, along with the forced expectations and assumptions that everyone should be straight. It is harmful to queer individuals, as it promotes the idea that anyone who is not heterosexual is abnormal. The term "compulsory heterosexuality" was popularized by Adrienne Rich's essay “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence.”