Heteronormativity In The Lecture Theatre

In this essay, I will discuss the concept of heteronormativity. I intend to elaborate on this concept using the reading by Mumbi Machere: Opening a Can of Worms: A Debate on Female Sexuality in the Lecture Theatre. I will also give an account of how this concept makes sense to me and how this concept proved relevant to how I was raised.

“Heteronormativity is the ’globalization’ of the idea that ‘sexing’ entails a binary way of becoming gendered, which should lead to heterosexuality on the part of people gendered as ‘men’ and as ‘women’. This globalization means that heterosexuality is ‘naturalized’ and other ways of linking becoming gendered to sexuality are ‘pathologized’” (ref to lecturer). In laymen’s terms heteronormativity refers to the

One should note that the author engages quite frequently with her students in lectures and although these students come from different backgrounds and embraces different cultures, the one thing that is common in their societies is the role of a female and the expectations of a ‘woman’. Interestingly Machera (2004) accounts for the way in which these students view the female genitalia and in most cases, they choose not to call the vagina by its ‘name’ as it is unheard of in their communities. This is undoubtedly the result of negative connotations that are associated with the female

It is natural for young children to explore their bodies and to play with their genitalia. However, there are restrictions to this and in Machera’s case she was reprimanded for merely looking at her ‘private parts’ through the mirror (Machera, 2014: 160). Apart from the negative views on vaginas, females (especially in Africa) undergo a gruelling process where the clitoris is removed or damaged. This in fact is the process of female initiation. In addition, the female might not be able to experience a proper orgasm but males will still be satisfied as stimulation of the penis is mostly based on penetration (of the vagina in this case) (Machera, 2004: