Unpacking Compulsory Heterosexuality: Coming Home to Your True Desires
Comp Het is short for Compulsory Heterosexuality, a term that describes the idea that heterosexuality is assumed to be the “natural” or “default” sexual orientation, especially for women. This concept was first explored by feminist poet Adrienne Rich in her 1980 essay “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence.” She suggested that many women are raised to believe they should be attracted to men—whether or not that’s actually true for them—because it’s what society expects.