Meanings
- neologismuncountableDisillusionment with heterosexuality, typically expressed in an ironic, performative manner and grounded in an essentialist or deterministic view of gender relations.
Through a queer lens, heteroresignation or heteropessimism appears to be a rite of passage for straight women.
2020, Jane Ward, “Deep Heterosexuality: […]”, in The Tragedy of Heterosexuality, New York, N.Y.: New York University Press, →ISBN, page 1623 more examples
What I now see is that Nelson’s caveat is typical of heteropessimism, a mode of feeling with a long history, and which is particularly palpable in the present. Heteropessimism consists of performative disaffiliations with heterosexuality, usually expressed in the form of regret, embarrassment, or hopelessness about straight experience. […] “Heterosexuality is a prison!” a chorus declared, vocalizing one of heteropessimism’s central maxims.
2019 October 9, Asa Seresin, “On Heteropessimism”, in The New Inquiry, New York, N.Y.: The New Inquiry, Inc.Furthermore, this often leads to instances where monogamy itself is looked down upon as being too conservative, a sign of pathological jealousy, and so—clear signs that polyamory is often just another manifestation of heteropessimism.
2020, Bonni Rambatan, Jacob Johanssen, “Heteropessimism and Digital Anesthesia”, in Event Horizon: Sexuality, Politics, Online Culture, and the Limits of Capitalism, Alresford, Hampshire: Zero Books, published 2021, →ISBNI just don't find resigned heteropessimism soothing anymore. Isn't so much of our frustration rooted in the feeling that things don't have to be this way? I don't want to recite the same story about preordained gender relations just so I can be pissed off about them. I want them to change.
2023, Gina Rushton, The Parenthood Dilemma: Procreation in the Age of Uncertainty, page 113Synonyms: heterofatalism
Synonyms & antonyms
nounDisillusionment with heterosexuality, typically expressed in an ironic, performative manner and grounded in an essentialist or deterministic view of gender relations.
Origin
From hetero- + pessimism, coined by sexuality scholar Asa Seresin, see quotations.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
heteropessimism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heteropessimism
“heteropessimism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heteropessimism. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “heteropessimism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heteropessimism.
Source: heteropessimism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.