SOCL 3501 Study Guide - Erving Goffman, Olive Garden, Bearded Lady
Document Summary
Gays and other targets of stigma: goffman identifies 3 types of stigma, stigma is a blemish that discredits you, overt and external deformation (physical appearance) Scars, physical manifestations of anorexia, obesity, tattoos, abominations of the body. Treat them like infants, most people equate physical with mental disabilities. Having a physical disability is a master status. Others see it at the sum of who they are. Non-disabled people see disabled people as victims who need our help. It comes from their own discomfort level, they either stare or completely ignore them, and they just don"t know what to do. People with physical disabilities are reduced and pushed down to a childlike role. Managing the stigma : how people with stigma manage. Blind people wear dark shades to lessen the stigma, it also takes care of others discomfort. Every culture has ideals of how the body should look.
