Undoing Heterosexuality

Heterosexuality is both pervasive and normative, yet, ironically quite elusive and under-researched in psychology. Historically, psychological research has assumed that heterosexuality was a ‘given’ and ‘normal’, and focused its work on sexualities that sit outside this supposed norm. In this Olio, we’ll work to dislodge heterosexuality’s privileged status within psychology (and society) by putting it under the theoretical microscope. We’ll draw on my upcoming book The Psychology of Heterosexuality to cover the following:

  • Theorising heterosexuality (what is heterosexuality?)
  • Maintaining heterosexuality (how does heterosexuality unfold in the social and cultural context?)
  • Embodying heterosexuality (How does heterosexuality shape gender, identity and our everyday practices?)
  • Doing heterosexuality (how does heterosexuality shape intimate relationships and kinship?)
  • Undoing heterosexuality (how do we imagine a world with more gender and sexual fluidity?)

We will discuss these issues as a group and I hope to conclude by having some dialogue about integrating this new psychology of heterosexuality into our daily lives to disrupt heteronormativity.

$15

Teacher: Pani Farvid

​Dr. Pani Farvid is an Assistant Professor of Applied Psychology at The New School. She recently relocated to New York from New Zealand, where she held a Senior Lectureship in Psychology at Auckland University of Technology.


We’ll put heterosexuality under the microscope the way that supposed ‘non-normative’ sexualities have been for so long.

Work Heights – Electric










When: Thu., Nov. 21, 2019 at 7:30 pm

Heterosexuality is both pervasive and normative, yet, ironically quite elusive and under-researched in psychology. Historically, psychological research has assumed that heterosexuality was a ‘given’ and ‘normal’, and focused its work on sexualities that sit outside this supposed norm. In this Olio, we’ll work to dislodge heterosexuality’s privileged status within psychology (and society) by putting it under the theoretical microscope. We’ll draw on my upcoming book The Psychology of Heterosexuality to cover the following:

  • Theorising heterosexuality (what is heterosexuality?)
  • Maintaining heterosexuality (how does heterosexuality unfold in the social and cultural context?)
  • Embodying heterosexuality (How does heterosexuality shape gender, identity and our everyday practices?)
  • Doing heterosexuality (how does heterosexuality shape intimate relationships and kinship?)
  • Undoing heterosexuality (how do we imagine a world with more gender and sexual fluidity?)

We will discuss these issues as a group and I hope to conclude by having some dialogue about integrating this new psychology of heterosexuality into our daily lives to disrupt heteronormativity.

$15

Teacher: Pani Farvid

​Dr. Pani Farvid is an Assistant Professor of Applied Psychology at The New School. She recently relocated to New York from New Zealand, where she held a Senior Lectureship in Psychology at Auckland University of Technology.


We’ll put heterosexuality under the microscope the way that supposed ‘non-normative’ sexualities have been for so long.

Work Heights – Electric
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