Nationalism is a political system that promotes the interests of a particular nation. It involves creating boundaries around groups based on their language, culture, religion, race, ethnicity, history, geography, or some combination of these factors. Nationalism can also be an identity construction process that creates stereotypes about others outside its borders. One way this happens is through excluding people from belonging to the group based on their sex, sexuality, or gender identities. This paper will explore how nationalist ideologies create such exclusions and construct them as mechanisms for defining who belongs and who does not.
In order to understand how nationalist ideologies construct erotic exclusion as a mechanism for defining who belongs and who does not, we must first define what erotic exclusion means. Erotic exclusion occurs when someone is prevented from participating fully in a society's sexual sphere because they do not fit into certain normative categories. These categories might include heterosexuality, cisgenderism, monogamy, marriageability, virginity, ability to reproduce, age, appearance, class status, etc. The concept of erotic exclusion has been used primarily in queer theory but can be applied more broadly to other forms of marginalization.
One example of erotic exclusion is the way that trans women are often excluded from lesbian communities due to their assigned birth sex at birth. Lesbians may believe that they cannot belong to their community if they have a penis or were assigned male at birth. Trans women may feel excluded by both gay men and straight men because they do not identify with either category but instead with the one they were born into.
Many trans women still want to pursue romantic relationships with cisgender women. Nationalist ideologies use this type of erotic exclusion to reinforce traditional gender roles and hierarchies within their countries.
Some nationalist movements promote the idea that women should stay home and take care of children while men work outside the house. This can exclude people from intimate relationships based on gender nonconformity or non-monogamy.
Another form of erotic exclusion involves race. Many white nationalists believe that only white people belong in their movement. They create boundaries around who does and doesn't fit into this group based on skin color, language, religion, culture, history, geography, etc. People of color are often seen as threatening to white supremacists because they challenge the idea that whiteness is superior to all other races. As a result, interracial relationships are often discouraged or banned altogether. This can lead to erotic exclusion for anyone who falls outside the accepted racial categories within a particular nation.
Nationalism often uses religious beliefs to construct erotic exclusions. Religious groups such as evangelical Christians, Hindu nationalists, or Muslim extremists often promote traditional values about marriage, family, sexual behavior, and dress codes. This can make it difficult for LGBTQ+ individuals to find acceptance within these communities even if they share the same faith. It can also make it challenging for those who do not adhere to certain religious norms or practices to participate fully in their sexual lives.
Nationalist ideologies often use erotic exclusions as mechanisms for defining who belongs and who does not. By creating boundaries around certain types of sex, sexuality, and gender identities, they reinforce traditional power structures and hierarchies within countries.
How do nationalist ideologies construct erotic exclusion as a mechanism for defining who belongs and who does not?
Nationalism is the idea that a group of people should have their own nation with its own language, culture, and political system. Nationalist ideologies often emphasize a sense of belonging to one's nation, which can exclude others who are perceived as foreigners or outsiders. Erotic exclusion refers to the act of denying access to sexual relationships based on nationality or other factors.