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Biological sex is a large component of heteronormativity, as it influences almost all other aspects. According to this system, it determines your role in society, who you should be attracted to, how you should present yourself, and how you should progress in your life. Heteronormativity embraces the idea that sex and gender are equivalent and that sex is a binary. These ideas are false as sex and gender are not equal, and sex does not exist on such a rudimentary binary scale. Sex exists on a spectrum, with many people inhabiting the space of intersex, where they exhibit traits that are associated with more than one sex. Thus, the existence of intersex people destroys a core tenet of heteronormativity.

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Heteronormativity enforces the idea of a strict binary of gender and does not allow for the change of the assigned gender at birth. This gender corresponds to societal expectations based on what genitalia people believe you should have, cultural genitalia, even though gender and sexuality are distinctly different traits of humans. Heteronormativity thus enforces and perpetuates a system that does not recognize queer folk as it does not recognize that gender can be different from the ascribed one dictated at birth, but that it can also change. Furthermore, it fails to recognize that some people live without ascribing a gender to themselves. Thus, gender identity in heteronormativity does not allow for identification by the individual, but by how society deems the individual. Queerness is about exploration, experimentation, and having fun with one's gender, thus breaking the molds of the heteronormative model.

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Sexuality is assumed to be straight within a heteronormative society, with sexual fluidity and exploration not being encouraged. It is believed and taught that based on one's sex and gender, sexuality is determined, thus the system where a cis man and cis woman relationship are the only valid ones. This system does not recognize that sexuality is fluid or, like gender, can change with time. Next, it does not recognize that sexuality, like many things, exists on a spectrum and is not relegated to only straight, or even gay, but also consists of many other identities, such as bisexuality. This “middle ground” is often overlooked as heteronormative ideals paint them as “undecided” or “hypersexual” as they deviate from the norms established by heteronormative ideals. Sexuality, like gender, is fluid and can change over time, as no set route or plan can determine this. So, we should embrace sexuality in any way it presents itself.

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Gender roles provide a blueprint on how individuals should behave, present themselves, and proceed through life based on their sex and gender, as per heteronormativity. These roles are problematic because they enforce differentiating codes of conduct for people based on their perceived gender and sex, while also differentiating how these people should operate in society, such as professions and emotions, with men encouraged to express anger and women encouraged to express all but anger. Furthermore, gender roles create a society in which people are dehumanized in ways that do not allow for any autonomy, thus continuing the oppression of women and the suffering of men. This description does not include people outside the binary as they are not recognized by heteronormative space, thus they are forced to “pick a side” so that they may continue in gendered spaces, thus further dehumanizing a marginalized group. Gender roles enforce pain onto all involved.

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The average timeline in the US, as per heteronormativity, is high school, college, or getting a job, then getting married, and then having children. This timeline is enforced by heteronormative ideals of the “nuclear family” and its intertwinement with capitalism, as the value of individuals is the ability to produce labor for the capitalist class. This timeline is the expected universal, and those that deviate from this path, are sanctioned by society as lesser or problems, as they do not engage with the system in the same way that others do. An example would be someone having a child out of wedlock, a violation in the US. Chrononormativity describes this universal timeline preached to us from birth until we die. This timeline is problematic as it does not allow for human interpretation and autonomy within their lives, thus inhibiting life for many. Furthermore, its set pace does not allow for detours or deviations from the path, thus relegating those who may take longer or shorter to being too ahead or behind in life. This facet is imperative to heteronormativity as it not only keeps people on the right track, but it emphasizes children, a way to maintain heteronormative structures of the “family” and to maintain industries by constantly supplying new labor, as seen by the critiques of younger generations for not having children or getting married at rates seen previously.