Compulsory heterosexuality - meaning and definition
Alsocomphetcomp hetcompulsive heterosexualityLesbian Masterdoc
Definition
The idea that society pressures people, especially women, into assuming they are straight and pursuing relationships with men.
At a glance
- The idea that society pressures people, especially women, to assume they are straight.
- Popularised by poet and essayist Adrienne Rich in 1980.
- Argues heterosexuality is expected and reinforced by culture, family and economics.
- Often shortened to comphet.
- Widely discussed in lesbian and bi+ communities.
In detail
The term was popularised by poet and essayist Adrienne Rich in 1980. It argues that heterosexuality is not just common but actively expected and reinforced through culture, family and economics.
Today "comphet" is widely used in lesbian and bi+ communities to describe realising that past interest in men was driven by expectation rather than genuine attraction.
In a sentence
- Looking back, my teenage crushes on boys were mostly comphet.
- We read Adrienne Rich's essay on compulsory heterosexuality in our gender studies seminar.
Where the word comes from
From Adrienne Rich's 1980 essay Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence. The short form comphet spread in online lesbian and bi+ communities in the late 2010s.
Common questions
What does comphet mean?
Comphet is short for compulsory heterosexuality. People often use it to describe realising that past interest in men came from social expectation rather than genuine attraction.
Does compulsory heterosexuality mean straight people are not really straight?
No. It describes social pressure to assume heterosexuality, not a claim about any individual. Only the person themselves can decide what their attractions mean.