Summary Of Ingraham's Heterosexual Imaginary

Ingraham’s theoretical approach to explaining the institutionalization of heterosexuality seen through the operation of the traditional white wedding, is the Heterosexual Imaginary. She describes the heterosexual imaginary as a way to thinking that relies on romantic and sacred notions of heterosexuality in order to create and maintain the illusion of well-being and oneness. (p. 25) She has chosen to study marriage to interpret the ways the heterosexual imaginary naturalizes heterosexuality and prevents us from seeing how its organization depends on the production of the belief or ideology that heterosexuality is the same for everyone. Therefore, each chapter of the book gives supports her main argument about how our society uses white weddings to uphold the heteronormativity, through capitalism, globalization, the media, romance, and “traditions.”
Historically, weddings have served as one of the major events that signal readiness and prepare heterosexuals for membership in marriage, representing a major site for
The wedding industrial complex is a multibillion-dollar industry that is comprised of several markets, including wedding gowns, jewelry, wedding consulting, etc. all a part of the larger globalized wedding market. A market that only benefits those who are likely to consume the wedding products, as well as those who benefit from the exploitation of those who are from other countries and poor. The market is continuously finding ways to exploit those less fortunate, and to cater to the ever evolving middle to upper class