single word requests - Like "sexist" or "racist," but in reference to being gay?


Is there a term that is similar to sexist or racist but refers to gay people? "Homophobic" comes to mind, but that's more a fear or disgust of homosexuals versus discrimination based solely on sexual orientation.


To be specific, I'm looking for an -ist/-ism word, but I'm not sure if one exists.



Answer



heterosexism might be what you are looking for. According to M-W:



: discrimination or prejudice by heterosexuals against homosexuals



This idea is expanded in the wiki article under the same name that states:



Heterosexism is a system of attitudes, bias, and discrimination in favor of opposite-sex sexuality and relationships. It can include the presumption that other people are heterosexual or that opposite-sex attractions and relationships are the only norm and therefore superior.



Interestingly (also on the wiki page - I highlighted the single-word terms):



Given this lack of semantic transparency, researchers, outreach workers, critical theorists and LGBT activists have proposed and use terms such as institutionalized homophobia, state(-sponsored) homophobia,[9] sexual prejudice, anti-gay bigotry, straight privilege, The Straight Mind (a collection of essays by French writer Monique Wittig), heterosexual bias, compulsory heterosexuality[10] or the much lesser known terms heterocentrism, homonegativity, and from gender theory and queer theory, heteronormativity. However, not all of these descriptors are synonymous to heterosexism.



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