What is stigma??

One of the key words in my blog entries is stigma. But what is stigma?

Stigma comes in many shapes and sizes. One definition from the stigma toolkit I have been drawing activities from is this: Stigma is a spoilt identity. To stigmatize is to label someone; to see them as inferior because of an attribute they have. Stigma can be self-stigma – feeling a sense of blame, shame, or judgment from others; felt stigma – perceptions or feelings towards someone; or discrimination – stigma in action.

There seems to be a stigma continuum – overtly stigmatizing attitudes or actions to more subtle stigmatization. During the pastor’s session, John talked about stigma. He shared a story about a girl whose family pushed her off a bridge to her death when they found out she was HIV +. That is overtly stigmatizing. The pastors' discussion afterwards revealed they used to think like that too – because they didn’t know about HIV/AIDS and how to deal with people with AIDS. Now that they have more knowledge, they say they don’t do that anymore.

But their fears abound in terms of casual contact – sharing a meal with someone who has HIV or spread of HIV through mosquito bites. These fears are operationalized into stigmatizing actions – like not eating with someone or avoiding someone with HIV. Based on the pastors’ words, it seems that generally, the people in Tolikara are slowly moving down this stigma continuum, though there are of course those early and late adopters at either end.

One of the stigmatizing attitudes that I have come across several times here is the idea of building a house for everyone with HIV. The pastors' wives at the first training mentioned this, and Heidy told me someone brought this up at a training here in Wamena last week as well. They have this idea that quarantining everyone with HIV will get rid of the problem. What they need to realize is HIV is everyone’s problem.

How do you deal with stigma from a Christian perspective? This is a question that I have thought about a lot. A lot of the stigma from the church comes not just from lack of knowledge but also the fact that HIV is heavily associated with sinful behaviors. The pastors' wives other idea to deal with HIV was to kick out all the prostitutes.

How do you reduce stigma but hold to the truth that is in the Bible? One thing that I told my brother recently, is that I don’t want to argue about the right or the wrong of people’s actions or lifestyles, as a nurse I just want to take care of them. Does this mean I don’t have strong convictions about truth? I don’t believe so, it just means that I try not to base my actions towards others on whether they live according to those convictions.

Last week while in Tolikara I read John 12. In verses 47-50 Jesus says “ As for those who hear my words but do not keep them, I do not judge them. For I did not come to judge the world. There is a judge for those who reject me and do not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to sat all the I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” The verses express well what I was trying to say in that conversation with my brother. We are to be like Jesus – who spoke radical words of truth, but did not come to judge.

Too often we practice those together – to speak truth means to judge. But when it comes down to it, caring for someone’s needs should be done regardless – whatever those needs are and whatever that person has or even is doing. Jesus never made acceptance of his words a prerequisite for touching their lives physically or spiritually, yet his touch often led to a changed life. Maybe if we spent more time simply caring for and loving people rather than tying up our actions with stipulations or judgment we would see more lives truly changed. And even if we don’t see changed lives, it is God who is the judge, not us.

Difficult stuff to think about that I still don’t and probably won’t ever fully understand or truly be able to live out 100%. And I am not a theologian, just trying to understand what God’s word means and to live more like Jesus in this world.