Following Male Dominance

The Dance: Following His Lead and Male Dominance

The “prom” dance—the physical act of dancing—is a microcosm for social dynamics pertaining to gender. In contemporary, our society pivots around men and largely disenfranchises women. Heterosexuality is a tool for maintaining these power disparities. Ingraham (2002) concludes that heterosexuality is “a compulsory, contrived, constructed and taken-for-granted institution which serves the interests of male dominance” (p. 75). Ingraham posits that heterosexuality is a “normalized power arrangement that limits options and privileges men over women and reinforces and naturalizes male dominance” (p. 75). The same dominance that can be observed in other facets of society can also be observed in the

This is perhaps the most heteroromanticized moment of the night—the coercive properties of heteroromance should be clear. In a teen-magazine interview, one female student remarks: “He suddenly put his arms around my waist and pulled me in tight—it sent shivers up my spine!”, “He took my hand in his and looked deep into my eyes and said that he loved me! I was so incredibly happy I started to cry” (Best, 2004, p. 203). This type of romance fundamentally underpins the heterosexual imaginary. As Best (2004) remarks in Thinking Straight, “romance works to gain young women’s consent to the ongoing production of gender inequalities, while also normalizing heterosexuality. The discourse of romantic love, as it comes into being around the prom, restricts girls’ claims for equality” (p. 206). Prom is centered around romance, and the dance is the central component of that heteroromantic narrative. Women cannot challenge these norms without redefining their own place within the larger hierarchy—which comes at a great risk. This fact underscores the

Moreover, illusory and romanticized abstractions of heterosexuality only serve to maintain hierarchical structures—perhaps a heterosexual renaissance is in order. The norms, behaviors, practices and discourses associated with (Hetero)prom have material consequences for those who fall outside of the centralized “ideal.” By privileging heterosexuality, one simultaneously targets “others.” School must be a place of learning and pleasure—not a bastion for racism, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, among other forms of violent bigotry. Inclusion and reformation are the keys to resolving the problematic, coercive, and repressive characteristics of heterosexuality and (Hetero)Prom. Heteroromance is a commanding ideological tool. While heterosexuals should have the ability to take pleasure in their practices and norms, it is unjust to deny those same privileges and rights to others. Today, far too many people are left out of the social equation of equality. As an institution, heterosexuality has the power to coerce and corrupt, to dehumanize and degrade. Heterosexuality and society appear to be inextricably linked, but the fate of heterosexuality as an institution remains unwritten. Our generation—the most tolerant and open-minded, yet—has the opportunity to contribute a new verse to the narrative of heterosexuality. It is a