In her article Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence, Adrienne Rich talks about how society expects women to be attracted to men, get married, and have families. She explains that heterosexuality is not always just about personal choice, but also something society encourages people to follow. Growing up, people are often taught that being in a relationship with someone of the opposite sex is the normal way to live. Anyone who does not follow those expectations might be judged or treated differently. I think this idea connects really well to Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, especially when we look at her parents’ marriage and how her father struggles with his sexuality.

One example that stood out to me in Fun Home is the relationship between Alison’s parents, Bruce and Helen. From the outside, they seem like a normal family with a husband, wife, and children. However, as we read more, we find out that their marriage is not what it seems. Bruce is attracted to men but keeps that part of his life hidden while continuing to live as a married man. I think this shows how much pressure people can feel to live the way society expects them to. Even though Rich mainly discusses women’s experiences, I feel like Bruce’s situation shows that men can also be affected by these expectations. Helen is affected too because she spends years in a marriage where her husband is hiding an important part of himself.

One thing Rich says that I found interesting is, “I am suggesting that heterosexuality, like motherhood, needs to be recognized and studied as a political institution” (Rich 637). The way I understand this is that heterosexuality is not just about who someone is attracted to, but also about the expectations society creates around relationships and marriage. This made me think about Bruce and Helen’s marriage. I wonder if their lives would have been different if they had lived in a society where people felt more comfortable being open about their sexuality. Maybe Bruce would not have felt the need to hide who he was, and Helen might have had the opportunity to live a different life.

Another part of Fun Home that connects to Rich’s ideas is Alison discovering her own sexuality. What I found interesting is how differently Alison and her father handle their identities. Bruce spends much of his life keeping his sexuality a secret, while Alison eventually becomes more comfortable accepting that she is a lesbian. Both of them grow up dealing with expectations about how they are supposed to live, but they respond to those expectations differently. I think this comparison is one of the most interesting parts of the book because it shows how two people in the same family can have very different experiences with their sexuality.

Before reading Rich’s article, I never really thought about how much society can influence people’s relationships and personal choices. I mostly saw heterosexuality as something that was simply natural for some people. But after reading Fun Home and connecting it to Rich’s ideas, I started thinking about how difficult it must be for someone to feel like they cannot be themselves because of what others might think. To me, Bruce’s story shows how trying to fit into society’s expectations can affect not only one person but also the people around them. It also makes me wonder how many people still feel pressured to live a certain way just because that is what society considers normal.