Social Construction of Heterosexuality

Human sexuality historian, Jonathan Ned Katz shows The Invention of Heterosexuality (1999), the word "heterosexual" was coined by Dr. James Kiernan in 1892. Kiernan suggest the thought of "heterosexuals" as not defined by their attraction to the opposite sex, but by their "inclinations to both sexes." He also believed of the heterosexual as someone who "betrayed inclinations to 'abnormal methods of gratification'" (Katz 1995).

Meaning, heterosexuals were those we were attracted to both sexes and engaged in sex for pleasure, not for reproduction. Katz further asserts that this definition of the heterosexual lasted within middle-class cultures in the United States until the 1920's, and then went through various radical reformulations up to the current usage. 

Therefore, looking at the historical example makes it visible to see the process of the social construction of heterosexuality. 

"Heterosexuality" was initially a medical term that defined a deviant type of sexuality. By seeing how Kiernan and middle class culture defined "heterosexuality" in the 19th century, it is possible to see how extremely the meanings of the concept have changed over time. In contemporary usage withing the United States, "heterosexuality" is thought to mean "normal" or "good". Heterosexuality was thought to counter the norm of reproductive sexuality and be, therefore, deviant. This social constructionism has shaped our definition and understanding of concepts. The norm of reproductive sexuality is having sex not for pleasure, but to have children, is what defines the types of sexuality regarded as "normal" or "deviant". This is an an engraved categorization shaping human experience, behavior and interpretation of reality. To be heterosexual in middle class culture in the US in the early 1900s was not a desired goal, or something people wanted to occupy. The norm of heterosexuality has been entrenched that we speak of heteronormativity. Heteronormativity refers to the invisibility of same-sex couples in social life. Many times this is joined with Homophobia, referring to a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender etc.

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