‘—

Assignment 07

V. Spike Peterson and Laura Parisi define heterosexism as an institution that considers only “male and female” relationships as the norm when it comes to sexuality. They believe that heterosexism is a more precise way of analyzing the relationship of gender difference and human rights because it identifies the favoritism of males over females. Peterson and Parisi argue that when human rights are critiqued by feminists, it is not beneficial because it focuses on how human rights are constructed through men’s right. As a result, the struggles faced by women often remain unacknowledged. Women are often subjugated by men’s needs. There is a restraint put on the amount of creativity and competence a women is allowed to show when it comes to the idea of heterosexism. According to Vickers, a way in which this kind of subjugation is regulated is through a created social norm called the “battle of the cradle.” “The battle of the cradle” is how society and culture helps to control how many children women will bear. This is done by determining which groups of women (determined by age, ethnicities, etc.) will be best to tend to men’s needs. Another example of how women are made to be inferior to men is the concept of the “battle of the nursery” which supports the idea that women belong in the household. This includes socializing and tending to the children. The government also takes part in choosing men as the superior race in comparison to women. The state regulates women’s rights by restricting their decisions in serious situations including marriage, divorce, sexuality, and parenting. A prime example of the state’s control over women would be the state’s decision-making in areas such as abortion, contraception, and pregnancies. It is unjust that the majority of government officials making decisions on what to do with a woman’s bodies are men.