Who's to say what's normal?

Rich brings up the point that, basically, it is standard to assume one is heterosexual until told otherwise. This reminded me of the discussion we had in class where we brought up that when reading, we most often assume the character in question is white upper-class (when we have not been given any type of description), until again told otherwise. For example, when we begin reading novels and the protagonist finally appears, it usually does not cross our minds that they could be black unless it is so firmly stated. Similarly, like one's race, one's sexuality follows this same standard. You are heterosexual until there is a claim to the opposite. Sadly, this shows just how closed minded our society is. By assuming one thing until told another we are posing a road block for acceptance.

I mean, no wonder it is so hard for people to come out of the closet. It is as if the option of homosexuality is something so foreign that its existence doesn't occur to us until we come up close and personal with it.