By Faith Start-Essenburg (she/her)
My guess is that Bishop Budde in her wisdom knew that her words would fall flat on the ears that most needed to hear and she chose to listen to that voice inside telling her to speak it anyway. Speak it for those who can’t, for those watching and listening, for those unable to speak up for themselves in their churches, families, marriages and governments. And always we speak up for ourselves, to know that we said what needed to be said.
Put simply, compulsory heterosexuality is the theory that heterosexuality is enforced by patriarchy. Often shortened to ‘comphet’, the term is frequently used in online queer discussion spaces. ‘Compulsory heterosexuality’ originates from the 1980 essay Compulsory Heterosexuality and The Lesbian Existence by Adrienne Rich.
As we all live under patriarchy, and compulsory heterosexuality is part of patriarchy, it is something we are all subjected to, straight women included.
By Elio Wilder (they/them)
