Homophobia has become such a pervasive part of our society, that many people don't even realize that heterosexuality and homosexuality are relatively new concepts. I myself did not know this until earlier in the summer during my contemporary families course. Before the homo/hetero label was invented, there were only two categories, the moral kind of sexual activity (sex for reproduction within the confines of marriage) and the immoral kind (everything else). Relationships weren't scrutinized for their sexual meaning, and this allowed for more intimacy. With the introduction of the concept of sexual identity people were forced to "pick a side," and interactions between same sex individuals gained new rules and boundaries that were not present before the idea of homosexuality.
Within the course, I discovered that Alexander Hamilton had written many correspondences to a male friend that, although during his time wouldn't have raised an eyebrow, seems like an openly homosexual relationship if read today. Additionally, the relationships between women were much closer and intimate, particularly amongst the middle class. Carroll Smith-Rosenburg did a study on the relationships these women formed in what she called the "separate sphere"*. Clearly relationships were able to reach deeper levels between friends of the same sex before the introduction of sexual identity. It makes no sense why our society has chosen to adopt an either/or outlook over an individual's sexual preference. Only the people who constructed the idea of heterosexuality benefited from it by gaining even more power over "others". I can only imagine the countless number of people who would benefit if the concept of heterosexuality was deconstructed.
*Smith-Rosenburg, C. (1975). The Female World of Love and Ritual.
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