The term ‘stigma’ originates from ancient Greece, where it was used in reference to a visible mark, brand or label placed on members of tainted groups such as slaves, criminals and traitors. Nowadays, rather than being an actual mark that is burned onto a person’s body, stigma is understood as part of a social process linked to circumstances or characteristics that cause a person or group to be labelled, defamed, shamed and rejected by the wider community based on a preconception, misinformation or conscious decision that they violate important moral codes.
The process of stigma that identifies individuals or groups (with certain physical, behavioural or social characteristics) as outside of what is normal or acceptable promotes the separation and isolation of people perceived to have ‘undesirable characteristics’. Through this process, the general population regards stigmatised persons and groups as different, inferior and threatening to society, thereby justifying discriminatory actions against people on the basis of their race, disability, gender, the disease(s) they suffer from etc.