Goffman notes that the term æstigmaÆ originated in ancient Greece, where it referred to bodily markings such as branding which identified people as criminals, slaves or traitors (Goffman 1963). In more modern times, Goffman identifies three types of stigma: abnormalities of the body, by which he means physical deformities; character blemishes, such as a weak will, domineering or unnatural patterns, dishonesty etc. which are known from prison records, addictions, homosexuality, mental disorders or radical political behavior; and there are the stigma of race, religion and nationality which can be determined through lineages and equally affect all members of a family.
Goffman says that a stigma is something that detracts from a person, and that ænormalÆ people cannot ignore (Goffman, 1963). It is something that makes them less than human, and normal people construct a theory to explain their inferiority and the danger they present to them. Goffman says the stigmatized person may believe that he is ænormalÆ and feels he is entitled to a fair chance just like everyone else. At the same time, in the presence of normal people, he realizes that he is different and cannot do what they can, and this causes him to feel shame, and can lead to self-hate and self-degradation.
The stigmatized person is not accepted by the normal people (Goffman, 1963). He does not get the respect he deserves. Goffman says that where possible, the stigmatized person often tries to repair the problem, such as with plastic surgery to cover scars, with remedial education for the illiterate, or eye treatments for the blind. Here he sees victimization coming in as the stigmatized person falls victim to the many fraudulent operators who offer cures for every kind of stigma, but fail to deliver on their promises. The stigmatized person may also go to extreme efforts to try to overcome their shortcomings, such as the lame person who learns to swim, ride...