Homophobia And Heteronormativity

Homophobia is a term that is defined as the hatred and fear towards people that are attracted towards members of the same sex. Homophobia can be found in western societies and also in other areas of the world where homosexual practices are punishable by law. While heterosexuality is accepted by society through public expression such as romance, courtship, marriage and family, the lives of homosexuals are reduced to something that is done as private. Effects of heteronoative practices can be witnessed through the usage of social media where people including teens use the Internet as an outlet to talk about their experiences of bullying and in some cases admit they plan on completing suicide. Through the effects of bullying and stigmas, resistance practises have started to occur such as “Pink Day” where institutions and communities raise awareness of celebrating diversity towards homophobia and all other forms of bullying.
Using Foucault’s theory of truth regimes, normalization and discipline I will illuminate light on the normalization and disciplinary practices that occur in the schools where social order is reproduced through the socialization of controlled knowledge’s that naturalize heterosexuality through normalization practices.
Heteronormativity is a term that defines the privileging of heterosexuality through its normalization practices within society such as institutions and organizational cultures. Heteronormativity can circulate through everyday practices of the mundane such as how teachers choose to organize the setting of the classrooms by implementing books, posters and movies reflecting heterosexual common sense values.
For Foucault, norms are concepts that are constantly operating to evaluate and control people: ...

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...ay a year the emphasis is not on the number of days celebrated but the value and meaning of the day and what it means for youth that are secretly gay or have imperfections that are seen or hidden in the schools and society. One day can lead to transformations where society does not have to celebrate the event because it will be accepted as the status quo instead of marginalized deviants. Through Foucault’s understanding of truth regimes, discipline and normalization practices we can recognize that what society accepts as true through the status of those who says what is true is always changing. Everybody can challenge resistance because power circulates through intersections is relational therefore it can be confronted. Pink Day is still a relatively new resistance strategy that can possibly transform teachers acting as socializing agents towards heteronormativity.