Foreclosing Fluidity at the Intersection of Gender and Sexual Normativities

Abstract

Binary gender and sexuality are socially constructed, but they structure thought at such a deep level that even those critical of sexism and homophobia can unwittingly reproduce them, with consequences felt most profoundly by those whose gender/sexual identity defy binary logic. This article outlines a generic pattern in the reproduction of inequality we call foreclosing fluidity, the symbolic or material removal of fluid possibilities from sexual and gender experience and categorization. Based on 115 responses from people who are both sexually and gender fluid and a reading of existing sociologies of gender and sexualities from a fluid standpoint, we demonstrate how lesbian/gay/straight, cisgender, and transgender women and men—regardless of intentions—may foreclose fluidity by mobilizing cisnormative, transnormative, heteronormative, and/or homonormative beliefs and practices. Examining patterns of foreclosing fluidity may provide insight into (1) the further incorporation of fluid people and standpoints into symbolic interactionism, and (2) the reproduction and persistence of sexual and gender inequalities.

Complicating parents’ gender and sexual expectations for children: A comparison of biological parents and stepparents

“…You have crushes on girls!”… I have gay friends and stuff, but if my son’s saying it, [that’s different].” Faith is clear that her son’s sexual orientation matters and that she encourages it in a normative direction. She is joined in this project by the children’s biological father: “[My fiancé] makes it known that Daddy’s going to marry Mommy because men marry women.” Her and her fiancé’s boy/girl and men/women dichotomy negate not only homosexuality but also the possibility of bisexuality and speaks to the invisibility of more fluid conceptualizations of sexuality (see Sumerau et al., 2019). Other parents concurred with Faith’s insistence on discouraging homosexuality.…”

“…“Have you ever wondered about [child’s name]’s sexual orientation?” and “How would you feel if your son were to tell you about a crush he had on his friend John?”). Parents tended to be surprised by this line of questioning, perhaps because, like parents interviewed by Solebello and Elliott (2011: 300), they assumed they “had already established their [children] as heterosexual and/or because their heteronormative assumptions precluded thinking about the possibility that their children might be gay” (see also Sumerau et al., 2019). Despite surprise, no one expressed reluctance in answering, and several described instances of having wondered.…”

“…She is joined in this project by the children's biological father: ''[My fiance´] makes it known that Daddy's going to marry Mommy because men marry women.'' Her and her fiance´'s boy/girl and men/women dichotomy negate not only homosexuality but also the possibility of bisexuality and speaks to the invisibility of more fluid conceptualizations of sexuality (see Sumerau et al, 2019). Other parents concurred with Faith's insistence on discouraging homosexuality.…”

Health and Health Care of Sexual and Gender Minorities

“…Findings about bisexual and nonbinary people appear aligned, implying that more fluid or ambiguous identification is associated with poorer health outcomes compared to relatively finite identification. As Sumerau, Mathers, and Moon (2020) document, across interactional and institutional domains, gender and sexual fluidity is often erased or foreclosed through the maintanence of static sexual and gender categories. As such, we would anticipate that fluidity would translate to poorer health outcomes among nonbinary and nonmonosexual people compared to their binary and monosexual counterparts.…”

Horror as a Pedagogical Tool for Teaching Sexualities

“…This faith in essentialism means students often fail to grasp the complexity of sexual and gender identity or understand how they intersect with other identities. Though essentialism has arguably encouraged greater tolerance toward gay men and lesbians, it often “forecloses fluidity” (Sumerau, Mathers, and Moon 2020) in a way that can negatively impact perceptions of bisexuals (Mathers, Sumerau, and Cragun 2018; Worthen 2013); for example, students may have less empathy for bisexual people because they believe that they could “choose” heterosexuality or that they are “really” gay. “Born this way” narratives also put pressure on trans people to map their experiences onto templates for gay and lesbian “coming out” by declaring they have “always known” that they were “really” a boy or girl (Garrison 2018), which can leave little room in the classroom for acknowledging gender fluidity.…”