Stigmas

Stigma is a social phenomenon in which people are devalued based on real or perceived attributes such as health status, disability, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background. It can involve negative attitudes, stereotypes, discrimination, and social exclusion. Stigma can be external (enacted by others) or internalized (adopted by the stigmatized individuals), with the latter harming self-esteem and functioning. Stigma is studied in sociology, psychology, public health, and anthropology, and it interacts with power and culture.

In biology, stigma is also the name of the receptive tip of the pistil in flowering plants. The stigma sits atop the style and captures pollen. It can be wet or dry, often sticky, and varies in morphology to suit different pollination strategies. Pollen germination on the stigma leads to pollen tube growth toward the ovary for fertilization.

Efforts to reduce social stigma focus on education, direct contact with stigmatized groups, counter-stereotyping, and inclusive language, as well as policies that protect rights and provide equitable access to services. In health contexts, stigma reduction improves help-seeking and treatment adherence.