“Othering” non-normative sexualities through objectification of “the homosexual”: discursive discrimination by pre-service teachers

Abstract

Heterosexuality is associated with normative, ‘normal’ or ‘natural’ social and sexual relations. Concomitantly, those who do not conform to heterosexual standards are ‘othered’. Conforming to normativity creates the “heterosexual imaginary” (Ingraham, 1996) and perpetuates heteronormativity. This article focuses on the dangers of institutionalised heterosexuality, particularly the objectifying of non-normative sexual and gender diversities as anti-humanist. Snowball sampling was used to select 39 fourth-year pre-service teachers from three public South African universities, and focus group discussions revealed that the responses of many of these have heterosexist and homophobic undertones. The three main themes that emerged are objectification of ‘the homosexual’, conflation of ‘the homosexual’ and accommodation of ‘the homosexual’. In response to these findings, objectification and discursive discrimination highlight the way in which language reinforces a binary logic and further perpetuates heteronormativity. Possible ways of addressing discursive discrimination are suggested.