Heterosexual Privilege is predicated on the heterocentric notion that everyone is heterosexual or straight. From the pronouns we use, to the assumptions we make, and to the laws in our nation, we support heterosexual privilege. Heterocentrism is the ideology that begets Heterosexism, which is a system of oppression that is often manifested in homophobia, which is a fear or hatred of individuals who do not identify as heterosexual. To the leftis a flow chart to showcase the overlapping relationship between Heterocentrism, Heterosexism, and Homophobia.

Examples of Heterosexual Privilege that are not shared by the LGBTQ community:

• The right to know your normalcy
• The right to talk openly about your intimate relationships
• The right to marry
• The right to bear children without question
• The right to adopt children without question
• The right to kiss or show affection in public
• The right to show pain when a relationship ends
• The right to be open about apartment hunting with a significant other
• The right to be validated by your religion
• The right to be socially accepted by neighbors and your neighborhood
• The right to feel comfortable in children’s schools
• The right to dress without worrying about what it represents
• The right to have in-laws
• The right not to hide friends, and social activities geared to the same sex
• The right not to resent the media for its heterosexual references
• The right not to be excluded by the media
• The right to share holidays with your lover and your family
• The right to openly discuss politics without fear of assumptions
• The right to have children be comfortable with their friends
• The right to family support
• The right to share insurance with your partner
• The right to visit your partner in the hospital
• The right to donate blood
• The right to be who you are all the time
• The right to not have to explain who you love to everyone
• The right to be secure in your job regardless of the fact that you are heterosexual
• The right to serve in the US military and openly represent your sexual orienation
• The right to go to a dance like a prom or homecoming with a partner of your choosing
• The right to be equally protected under the law