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Assignment 7

Peterson and Parisi believed that heterosexism is a more precise way of analyzing the relationship of gender difference and human rights as it recognizes the exclusion and oppression of women in the discussions of human rights. Under heterosexist thinking, human rights are actually men’s rights as it stems from historical ideology of the heterosexual male being the universal standard, while women and other sexual minorities being subordinate to them and excluded in the rights. This creates a gender inequality that is institutionalized in society’s thinking, with males being associated with dominance and females being subordinate in comparison. This inequality can be observed throughout society such as in the family/household and in the state system. In the household, the gender differences are apparent as the males were considered the breadwinners of the family, while the females were considered subservient, creating a gender hierarchy. In the state system, the gender hierarchy is also influential concerning the status of women in relation to the state, as the state favors the men’s interest over the women’s.

Peterson and Parisi explain the exclusion of women’s rights in three categories. In the first category, women are excluded from civil and political rights, essentially their human rights. By denying women these rights, the state has made them vulnerable to the actions of males such as rape, abuse, and murder. In the second category, the exclusion of these rights concern women’s economic, social and cultural rights. The work that women do were considered “reproductive” rather than “productive,” which made their work invisible in society’s eyes, allowing for exploitation and harassment. The devaluation of women continues to support the subordination of women and the denial of their rights. In the last category, Peterson and Parisi explains the influence of the gender hierarchy in regards to group/collective rights. The subordination of women creates an environment that stunts the self-determination of women, which discourages women from expressing their concerns and interests. Heterosexism, in regard to women’s rights, establishes that there are gender differences between men and women, and that these differences influence what rights you are able to have in society.