Question

explain the concept of social stigma and the role of the human body in influencing how different individuals and groups are stigmatized

Answer 1

HELLO! I hope you are healthy!

Social stigma is a kind of label which is attached to a person or group by the society which made them undesirable or on the basis of which they are discriminated. Social stigma is generally associated with culture, race, bodily features, gender, and sometimes diseases. These stigmatized groups and individuals are avoided or they are treated badly. There were times when stigmatized people or group were even treated as slaves. They are not socially accepted.

Role of human body in influencing how different individuals and groups are stigmatized

Individuals and groups are stigmatized on the basis of their body size and health conditions. Some such diseases and conditions are as follows:

• Leprosy
• Epilepsy
• HIV
• Cancer
• Mental health
• Obesity
• Sometimes sexual orientation

Leprosy is the oldest health condition which is stigmatized. At many places this disease is religiouly stigmatized and people think it's a kind of "divine punishment". It is feared that it is contagious and hereditary. People with this disease suffer a lot in society as they get little education, low social status, no marital partner. They often try to hide their disease and not get treated in fear of social exclusion and suffer mentally.

Epilepsy is a condition in which person suffers from recurrent seizures. Seizures lead to collapsing, crying or sometimes lost control of urine. This condition is Concealable. You can't know a person is suffering unless you see him having seizure. Epilepsy related stigma is it is feared that it is contagious through saliva, can't contribute to society, no marriage and they don't get jobs. Children with epilepsy can't do well in studies.

HIV is a fatal disease caused by a virus that spread through blood and sexual contact. They are stigmatized because of fear of infection, not good prospect for employment and marriage, social norm such as it is caused by having same sex relations or drug use. People with HIV suffer mentally and physically. Society doesn't accept them, and alleges them.

Cancer disease is stigmatized because people think that it happens because of the person's bad habits like lung cancer caused by smoking which can be controlled by person. And sometimes disease causes disfigurement, so people avoid them. People suffer psychologically and try to hide the disease and don't get treated as they fear social exclusion.

Obesity, stigma related to this is strong. People with obesity are openly shamed. Stereotyped as lazy and incompetent. Young people with obesity generally feel demoralized as they are constantly bullied, teased. They don't get to make more friends and relationship.

Mental health stigmatized because of the stereotypes that they are dangerous, violent. They can't recover or control themselves. Because of these stereotypes, people with mental health who can be treated easily don't go to psychologist for treatment and try to hide their problem which make the problem worse.

These stigmas make people with these diseases suffer unbearably and cause them depression, low self esteem, reduce their will of living and scar them in ways they can't get healed and cause them to often avoid treatment from fear of social exclusionexclusion, and shaming.