So I experienced something the other day that made me realise how heteronormative our society is (being British though, I can only speak for the UK, but I feel pretty sure it’s the same elsewhere). I had to ring up the doctor to see if I could get antibiotics, as the GP clinic was closed. The doctor asked me if I was sexually active, to which I replied that I was. She then asked me if I used condoms, to which I again replied yes. Then she asked if that was the only method of contraception I used (it is right now). I didn’t think about it until later - as someone who identifies as (mostly!) heterosexual and cisgender, the questions were fairly straightforward to me. But then I wondered later how I would have felt if I wasn’t straight and a medical professional had assumed straight away that I was only having heterosexual sex. I realised the same had happened a couple of months ago when I had a doctor’s appointment, so it doesn’t seem to be an isolated case. Because neither doctor had ever asked me if I had sex with cis-men, merely if I was sexually active, which really can imply anything! I just felt that it shows how heteronormative society still is, as even doctors, who are highly educated, professional people, assume that if you are a woman you must be having sex with someone which requires you to use contraception.

Just my very amateur thought on the matter, but I of course have no place to comment on the full extent of heteronormativity which queer people have to deal with on a daily basis.