Notes of an Asexual Muslim

Rejecting amatonormativity does not mean discouraging amorous relationships, it means ceasing to encourage them at the expense of other care relationships…

Amatonormativity does not simply discriminate against nonconforming relationships; it also precludes their formation by pressuring choice. Prizing dyadic relationships discourages the pursuit of others. Social judgments as to the possibility of fulfillment in friendships and care networks, and the invisibility or marginalization of these alternatives, make amorous relationships ‘compulsory’ as Rich famously claimed about heterosexuality. Economic, legal, and social incentives exert great pressure to enter amorous love relationships, especially when other options appear less appealing or salient, as when singles are depicted as lonely rather than as surrounded by loving friends.