Eradicating The Sin Of Heterosexism Summary

In Mary E. Hunt’s essay, “Eradicating the Sin of Heterosexism,” she discusses how the catholic church has committed the sin of heterosexism, and how this sin deeply damages all of our society, not just the LGBT community. Hunt argues that if we want to help LGBT people we shouldn’t be focused on defending the morality of same-sex relationships, but rather, we should first focus on destroying heterosexism because once it’s gone can we begin to look at homosexuality objectively. Once we finally can look at it objectively, it will be obvious that homosexuality, like all sexual preferences, are morally neutral (pg.158).

The Catholic Church commits the sin of heterosexism whenever they use their religion to discriminate against the LGBT community,

for example, when catholic parents disown their gay children, or when catholic law makers vote against same-sex marriage. Hunt defines heterosexism as a system of privilege where straight people are favored over LGBT people, and that this system is deeply ingrained in our society, our laws, and our culture (pg.155). She argues that when the Catholic Church, especially the Vatican, uses their influence to push for heterosexual relationships as the only valid way to love they are causing great amounts of physical and psychological harm to LGBT people, by contributing to an increase in hate crimes and laws that prevent LGBT people from having basic human rights, like access to marriage (pg.157).
The church focuses on the immorality of homosexuality, but this manner of tackling the issue puts the burden on LGBT people to defend their love as morally right, and this isn’t fair.

Hunt argues that all sexual orientations are inherently morally neutral, and that the real issue at hand is the problem of heterosexism, and the harm it causes to all people regardless of orientation (pg.158). She writes that heterosexism is rooted in the idea of gender complementarity between men and women, which places heterosexual relationships as the norm, and homosexuality as deviant behavior and as inherently dangerous to society (pg.159). But this belief isn’t objectively true or rooted in any science. Hunt writes, “The data of the social sciences are ample to prove that heterosexuality is only one of several ways to be sexual in thee world,”

(pg.160).
One example of the harm of heterosexism is shown through the issue of adoption. Catholics often teach that gay parents are inherently bad parents and if we were to allow them to adopt children we would be causing them harm because they wouldn’t be able to properly develop in that environment. The ban on gay parents adopting in so many countries does so much harm, because instead of allowing a child to be raised by loving parents, they are forcing children to remain in often subpar foster care where they are often neglected or even abused. (pg.162). They preach this hatred, all while studies have shown that children raised by same-sex parents turn out just fine (pg.163).
Hunt argues that the catholic worldview is outdated because it refuses to acknowledge our changing understanding of sex and gender. Catholicism views the world in binaries, where one is always inherently superior than the other, and this allows for the dehumanization and oppression of that other (men oppressing women, whites oppressing black people, and straights oppressing gays) (pg.164). Hunt writes that the Vatican fights against gay rights so fiercely because its a way in which they can protect this hierarchal and binary world view which in turn, excludes women, and keeps male religious leaders in power (pg.165). Hunt writes, “Heterosexism plays a key role in catholic kyriarchal thinking, both to discriminate against lgbt people and to prevent especially women form exercising moral and spiritual agency.” (pg.167).
Finally, Hunt proposes four ways in which we can destroy heterosexism. The first is the Sacramental Approach, which is to use the, “Traditional language and sacramental theology of sin and forgiveness,” (pg.168). First you must acknowledge that you’ve committed the sin of heterosexism, then you must ask forgiveness from those you have hurt in the past, next you must promise to never commit that sin again, and finally you must provide restitution for the harm done. Some ways of doing that is by starting educational programs and gay straight alliances (pg.169 & 170).
The second approach is the Philosophical Approach. This one focuses more on the quality of love in a relationship, more than the labels that we categorize ourselves under, since our definitions of gender and sexuality change over time and people who don’t know where they fall on the spectrum often find labels to be too restrictive. On this, Hunt writes, “Insofar as our efforts to love are often quite enough to sustain human community and invite human greatness, I observe that it is integrity, not preference, orientation, or identify, with which we ought to be concerned.” (pg.171).
The third approach is the Theological Approach, which focuses on developing a non-heterosexist catholic theology. For example, some people do this by looking towards christian history for examples of gay tolerance (pg.172 & 173). And finally, The Pastoral Approach, which means that in order for the other methods to work they need to be taught by pastors. She gives the example of New Ways Ministry, founded in the 70s, in order to create a, “Gay positive ministry of advocacy and justice for gay catholics.” She also says that canon law needs to be changed in order to ensure rights for everyone. Hunt believes that once heterosexism is removed form the catholicism, the church can finally move into the 21st century with, “Increased intellectual and moral integrity.” (pg.176).
As a member of the LGBT community myself, I couldn’t agree more with Hunts thesis.

Society as a whole suffers from heteronormativity, and the catholic church is one of the strongest proponents of this harmful ideology that leads to so much damage, especially to the LGBT community. It’s because of this hateful and outdated view of the world that so many gay kids (both catholic and non-catholic) grow up hating themselves and thinking that there’s something wrong with them. This is why gay kids are way more likely to suffer from depression, substance abuse, and are way more likely to commit suicide than their straight counterparts. I know i’ve always gone through depression, and I remember being young and thinking I was going to go to hell for my sexuality. Heterosexism not only causes these psychological issues but also often manifested itself in violence and hate crimes, like the devastating Pulse mass shooting in Florida a few years back. All in all, I think that Hunts approach towards handling the issue of heterosexism is correct and the sooner we apply them, the sooner we can improve our society and make it a happier and safer place for

everyone.