Heterosexism is the presumption that everyone is heterosexual an/or the belief that heterosexual people are naturally superior to homosexual and bisexual people. Heterosexism also encompasses discrimination and prejudice in favor of heterosexual people over gay, lesbian, bisexual, asexual, and transgender people. As a predisposition toward heterosexuals and heterosexuality, heterosexism has been described as being "encoded into and characteristic of the major social, cultural, and economic institutions of our society."