Meanings
- neologismuncountableSynonym of heteropessimism.
We will hardly believe the historians when they tell us about the old days of #MeToo and heterofatalism.
2020, Sophie Lewis, “Collective Turn-off”, in Mal3 more examples
“Marriage is hell” jokes are symptomatic of heterofatalism, just like incels who love to mock straight culture and caricature straight people but simultaneously can't imagine living outside of it.
2023, Alice Cappelle, Collapse Feminism: The Online Battle for Feminism's Future, unnumbered pageAs many feminist critics of the phenomenon point out, "heterofatalism" is a dangerously superficial, performative disavowal of straightness: it's more affective than effective, since it does not lead to changing the status quo, but only to reinforcing it.
2024, Maria Markiewicz, “Sexuality Is Over. Long Live Asexuality: Post-Sexuality in the Post-Post Era”, in KJ Cerankowski, Megan Milks, editors, Asexualities: Feminist and Queer Perspectives, unnumbered pageMaybe this is the utility of “heterofatalism” — naming the bitter pill before we force ourselves to swallow it and put on a carefree smile. […] One thing heterofatalism reflects is a persistent lack of faith that those we desire will be able to recognize us as commensurately human.
2025 July 21, Jean Garnett, “The Trouble With Wanting Men”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 21 Jul 2025Synonyms: heteropessimism
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSynonym of heteropessimism.
Origin
Cite this entry
heterofatalism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heterofatalism
“heterofatalism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heterofatalism. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “heterofatalism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heterofatalism.
Source: heterofatalism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.