heteronormative

American  

[het-er-uh-nawr-muh-tiv] / ˌhɛt ər əˈnɔr mə tɪv /

adjective

1. noting or relating to behavior or attitudes consistent with traditional male or female gender roles and the assumption of heterosexuality as the norm.

   our heteronormative culture.

---

Other Word Forms

• heteronormativity noun

Etymology

Origin of heteronormative

First recorded in 1990–95; hetero(sexual) ( def. ) + normative ( def. )

Example Sentences

As a gay man — notably, like Rauschenberg — he was socially invisible in a heteronormative society.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 22, 2025

It says a lot about the staid state of masculinity that men want the same heteronormative version of handsome that has defined male beauty standards for years.

From Slate • Sep. 21, 2024

Flipping comedy and heteronormative superhero tropes like two cheap tables at a bar, Vera Drew's delivery as Joker calls to mind Ezra Miller's acting style.

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2024

If you’re Black or Latino, if you’re gay or otherwise not heteronormative, if you have disabilities, if you’re a woman — the APA notes you’re not alone in feeling a heavier burden of chronic stress.

From Salon • Jan. 9, 2024

But why is the platform's large Gen Z audience, known for going against heteronormative standards, celebrating a number of gender-based online trends?

From BBC • Dec. 27, 2023