The Costs of Heterosexism to Straight People

Heterosexism is a social force that affects all people, because heterosexism infuses social institutions, and heteronormativity dictates social roles for all people regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The study of critical heterosexualities, a field of research largely contained within sociology and interdisciplinary fields such as queer studies and masculinity studies, has begun to explore how straight people experience costs from heterosexism and heteronormativity. However, few studies in the discipline of psychology have aimed to examine how straight/heterosexual people are negatively affected by heterosexism. In the current study, we explored LGBTQ+ and straight ally emerging adults’ conceptualization of the costs of heterosexism for straight people. We conducted four matched focus groups with a semi-structured interview with 13 LGBTQ+ participants and 10 straight ally participants. Using thematic analysis, we identified three themes, each with two to three subthemes: Distorted Relationships (Inauthentic Relationships, Family Estrangement, Social Disconnectedness), Heteronormative Restraints to Self-Exploration (Uncertainty to Certainty, Fear of Losing Privilege, Heteromasculinity and Heterofemininity), and Sexual Ignorance (Heterosexism is Learned, Walking on Eggshells). Results highlight how heterosexism has harmed straight people’s relationships, hindered their identity exploration and expression, and limited straight people’s ability to seek and obtain sexual knowledge. Findings yield insight for counseling psychologists’ clinical work with straight people and provide suggestions for advocacy with straight allies.