Stigma

Stigma is the identification of a quality, characteristic, or attribute as a “flaw” or deficiency that separates the owner from others. There are numerous characteristics, traits, and choices that end in a stigmatized identity. Erving Goffman distinguishes three types of stigma: abominations of the body, which include physical abnormalities such as overweight or obesity; blemishes of individual character, which consist of people whose morals are perceived as being different from society’s in general, such as someone who is perceived as being lazy or unable to control his or her drinking or food consumption; and tribal stigma, such as non-dominant ethnic, racial, and religious groups.

Social stigma occurs when a person possesses a trait that conveys a devalued social identity in a particular context. A person may be stigmatized in one context, but not in another. For example, an Orthodox Jew may be stigmatized for wearing a yarmulke in a secular setting, while being stigmatized for not...