Stigma is created by humans for other humans, to tell others they do not fit a mold. Actually stigma is with the major population who try to tell someone different from society, that they do not adhere to certain social norms.
By definition, Stigma is something that refutes some one’s character, for example, an actor not getting work because of previous alcohol addiction is stigma. Public stigma can be the reaction that general population has to people with mental illness.
Self-stigma is the thinking which people with mental illness turn against themselves. Social Stigma may be understood in terms of stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination.
- Stereotype is something that is a general approach towards a gender or a person or anything in particular. For example stereo type of a woman in our society is that she adheres to norms of being submissive and non opinionated. Similarly, for a man stereotype is them being strong and responsible, more than caring and sensitive.
- Prejudice is an opinion, not based on reason or actual experience, just some superstition at times. An individual may be prejudiced against others based on factors such as race, age, gender, sexual orientation, class status, religion, and nationality, among other things.
- Discrimination is the unjust treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex etc.
Social stigma is the extreme disapproval of a person or group on socially approved characteristic grounds. Social stigma is where one is looked down upon by others at being different. One can also be thought of as eccentric. We can associate Stigma as coming from narrow minded individuals.
Social stigma is also used by some individuals to make them appear superior, whereas often they are the very opposite. It is used to bully others by making the stigmatized person feel inadequate. It is used as a personal boost, where someone feels a lack of self-esteem, lack of confidence or has an anxiety complex. We all have certain boundaries that we are comfortable with, such as the way of greeting/meeting others, and our behavior in the company of others.
Social stigma is not good in general for our society and we should treat one and all with respect and as equals. Kids are taught in school to treat everyone as an equal and everyone of us is better at something than, the others we know and meet.
This will give us confidence, self respect and encourage us to treat everyone as we would like to be treated by others.
Lets work towards condemning these Stigmas created by us and ne part of shaping up a better society for generations to come.
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Cosmic Casanova 