What are you doing to remove stigmas at work?
The stigma of being a working parent.
The stigma of being a veteran.
The stigma of being gay or trans or nonbinary.
The stigma of having a mental health issue.
The stigma of having been in prison.
The stigma of being a religious minority.
The stigma of living in a different part of town.
The stigma of being on a lower rung of the socioeconomic ladder.
The stigma of having a physical disability.
These are just some of the stigmas I thought of off the top of my head. There are dozens – hundreds – more.
Stigmas exist because the majority group doesn't actively support people with marginalized identities.
Whether we say nothing, mock people in private, or discriminate openly, we contribute the perpetual stigmatization of people who we perceive to be different.
Why do we do this?
I suspect it's based in fear. Fear of the other. Fear of difference. Fear of unfamiliarity.
Fear of what we might discover if we led with curiosity and empathy and love.
Fear of being vulnerable with ourselves and others. Fear of humanity. Fear of listening to the stories and truths and lived realities of other people.
Fear of expanding our definition of normal.
We gotta get over our fears. What are you doing to that end?