Compulsory Heterosexuality/ Heteronormativity Compulsory heterosexuality, first coined by Adrienne Rich, is the idea that Heterosexuality is the norm in society, insinuating that queer relationships will never be deemed as valid as straight ones. Compulsory heterosexuality can be very harmful to members of the LGBTQIA+ community, as it causes many members to hide their relationships in fear of verbal and physical discrimination. Adrienne Rich established that although compulsory heterosexuality is harmful to all of society, it is especially harmful towards lesbians. Adrienne Rich builds this idea with her own personal experiences, stating that she went through the "lesbian suffering" that was needing to remain closeted in order to maintain a heterosexual front. Gender norms In society, Gender norms govern the way men and women act and present themselves, largely due to a systemic foundation of outdated beliefs. Gender norms are not the same in every country, and differ due to political and societal standards. Gender stereotypes limit the emotional and physical capabilities of both men and women and push only for the characteristics that society considers acceptable, enforcing inequalities. The entirety of the LGBTQIA+ community will continue to break gender norms as long as heterosexuality is considered the norm in society. Gender norms affect members of the LGBTQIA+ community heavily, as queer relationships are often seen as a threat to homophobic people. Homophobic violence is the third highest category in global hate crimes. Bullying Anti-LGBTQIA+ violence Young people in the LGBTQIA+ community experience bullying at a higher rate than their heterosexual peers. This bullying ranges from verbal to physical to cyber abuse. LGBTQIA+ youth who have been subjected to bullying have a higher rate of suicide. In a 2022 survey of LGBTQIA+ youth, those who experienced physical violence, enacted of threatened, within the past year attempted suicide at a rate that was three times higher than youth who were unaffected by physical violence or threat. Cyberbullying Cyberbullying is bullying via technological platforms. These platforms are often social media outlets but can vary across digital spaces, including but not limited to text and direct messages, gaming platforms, various apps, and other realms that provide access to "content sharing." Cyberbullying can have profound effects on victims. Victims tend to have higher rates of anxiety and depression. An aspect of cyberbullying that makes it particularly damaging is the broad reach of digital communication. Unlike in-person physical violence, cyberbullying can happen at any time, in