amatonormativity

A compound of Latin amātō or amātus and normativity, modeled on heteronormativity and coined by philosophy professor Elizabeth Brake in 2011.[1]

amatonormativity (uncountable)

1. (neologism) The assumption that all human beings pursue love or romance, especially by means of a monogamous long-term relationship.
   • 2011, Elizabeth Brake, Minimizing Marriage: Marriage, Morality, and the Law, page 98:

     Amatonormativity is oppressive when it privileges members of one form of caring relationship at the expense of noncomformists, whose opportunities are thereby significantly worsened.

   • 2017, Carrie Jenkins, What Love Is: And What It Could Be, unnumbered page:

     Casual amatonormativity is routine even in scholarly research.

   • 2020 February 12, Sophia Brown, “Redefining Valentine's Day culture on campus”, in The Catalyst, New College of Florida, page 9:

     "I dislike [Valentine's Day] because I'm aromantic and it's very symbolic of the culture of amatonormativity," thesis student Aiden Juge commented.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:amatonormativity.

• amatonormative