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Originally Posted by good times Therefore, I don't believe these people are being stigmatized, that would presume that we believe something that isn't true. |
Hi good times,
I'm not commenting on herpes or how/why we make our choices about who to play with (or not), but rather the definition of stigmatizing and being stigmatized.
To stigmatize a person doesn't necessarily involve believing something that's not true. Regardless of facts/truth, stigmatization is merely the act of
identifying in terms of being scurrilous, reproachable, scandalous, offensive, disgraceful, infamous, contemptable, deserving of scorn. To be stigmatized is basically to have a bad reputation and to be "branded" or marked as unfavorable; to be socially ostracized or avoided.
This can occur with or without the presence of truth.