Heteronormativity studies is a field of academic inquiry and critical analysis. It examines the assumption that heterosexuality is the inherent and privileged norm, investigating the social, cultural, political, and institutional mechanisms through which this norm is established, maintained, and enforced. Key characteristics include interdisciplinary analysis of power dynamics, exploration of how heteronormativity shapes societal structures and individual experiences, and its significance lies in challenging dominant assumptions about gender and sexuality to reveal marginalization and inform theories of social justice.