Amatonormativity

The word amatonormativity comes from amatus, which is the Latin word for "loved", and normativity, referring to societal norms. Amatonormativity has been described as the romantic version of compulsory sexuality. ==Examples==

Elizabeth Brake describes the term as a pressure or desire for romance and/or marriage. The desire to find relationships that are romantic, sexual, and lifelong has many social consequences. People who are asexual, aromantic and/or just want to stay single become social oddities. According to researcher Bella DePaulo, it puts a stigma on single people as incomplete and pushes romantic partners to stay in unhealthy relationships because of a fear the partners may have of being single. According to Brake, one way in which amatonormativity is institutionally applied is the law and morality surrounding marriage. Loving friendships, queerplatonic, and other relationships are not given the same legal protections romantic partners are given through marriage. In her 2012 book Minimizing Marriage, Brake defines amatonormativity as "the widespread assumption that everyone is better off in an exclusive, romantic, long-term coupled relationship, and that everyone is seeking such a relationship." == Uses ==

The term amatonormativity has been covered in major newspapers, and was named by The Atlantic as a trending philosophical topic in 2018. In literary studies the term has been used as a lens to reinterpret same-sex relationships in 19th century novels. and media coverage of platonic relationships as a lifestyle choice. ==See also==