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Stigma & Dirt October 7th

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Today…

I. Stigma & the Individual Stigma Power Stigma Management

Discreditable - information control Discredited - tension management

II. Society & the “Other” Douglas

Concept of Dirt 5 Ways Cultures deal with “dirt”

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What is Stigma?

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What is Stigma

In discrimination: Badge of shame, a mark of infamy or

disgrace Social stigma, a severe social disapproval of

personal characteristics or beliefs that are against cultural norms, including: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stigma

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What is the Purpose of Stigma?

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What is the Purpose of Stigma?

Allows us to deal with: “Anticipated others with out special attention or thought.” (Who’s “IN”/Who’s “OUT”)

Helps Categorize & Manage Multiple Stimuli

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Questions??

Does Human Society always requires an “Other”?

How Is the “Other” Determined?

How Can “Othering” be Challenged?

How is being a DP Different from Other Minority Groups?

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Where/how does Stigma gets it’s power?

Acceptance of the Devalued State

= SHAME

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Goffman: Stigma Management

Discreditable: information control ("to tell or not to tell, ….to lie or not to lie,

…. to whom, when and where." )

Discredited: tension management – (attempts to control awkward, difficult or

hostile interactions with "the normals.")

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Discreditable - Management of Information

Objective: minimize detection or disclosure (FDR) also think of as passing…

1. Conceal stigma symbols 2. Play down the defect 3. Distancing (social, physical, emotional)

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Discredited - Management of Tension

Covering 1. Use of devices to cover the stigma

Surgery (Only results in Record of Correcting) 2. Engage in activities from which normally be

disqualified Being President; One handed baseball player

Aggressiveness / Deviance 1. “The dramatically presented

preposterous explanation” 2. “The attack.”

12The International Center for Limb Lengthening, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore

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Other Responses to Stigma

Attempt to Directly Correct 1. Overcoming:

Celebrated in Modern Culture 2. Victimization:

Learned Helplessness 3. Avoidence: Isolation / Passing

Hypervigilance; “The Stare” 4. Re-assessment: Limitations of “normals”

Disability Pride; Deaf Culture

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Gill: Differences from Other Minority Groups

1. Public perceptions of Disabled People- a confusing mix of conflicting emotions

Fear, Pity, Charity, Disgust2. Stigma can be superficially linked to

impairments3. Lack of “Safe Havens“ 4. Socialized as “normal”

Gill, “Divided Understandings,” Handbook of Disability Studies, Albretch, et al 2000

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=Reflection of Society

What is Stigmatized…

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Examples

What is stigmatized now that was not 60 years ago?

What was stigmatized 60 years ago that is not now?

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Stigma

Can be a very rapid process: Japanese Americans

Destigmatizing: Usually a gradual process taking years /

decades Our Culture Reinforces Stigma through

it’s Obsession with Rank Orderings

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II. Society & the “Other” Douglas

Concept of Dirt 5 Ways Cultures deal with “dirt”

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Douglas 1966

Concept of Dirt / “Matter out of Place.” How Societies Groups or Deals with

Ambiguous Margins. Dirt is an Anomaly - A Discordant

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Douglas (cont.)

Argues that ambiguity proves difficult: Culture involves classification Dirt is disorder which then creates

breakdown of classification and boundaries are ambiguous or confused.

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Douglas: 5 Ways Cultures deal with “Dirt”

1. Reduce ambiguity (Fuzziness of Otherness) by creating dichotomies.

2. Elimination.

3. Avoidance

4. Label as dangerous.

5. Incorporating into ritual.

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1. Reduce Ambiguity

• Create dichotomies:• Disabled / Non-Disabled • Gay / Straight• Child / Adult• Male / Female

• That which defies classification is especially troublesome to society:

• Transvestites, Mulattos, Part Timers, Intersex, Passers, Multiple Impairments

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2. Elimination

Eugenics Holocaust War Prenatal Testing Human Genome Project Death Penalty

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3. Avoidance OR Strengthen dirty status:

Prisons Asylums Ugly Laws Not-In-My-Neighborhood Special

Education

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4. Label as Dangerous

Bodies / Minds Out of Control Epilepsy Hallucinations

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5. Incorporate

Into Ritual Special Olympics Charity / Telethons

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