Symbolic Stigmatizing,                                 ‘Marking’, ‘Deviancy-imaging’, ‘Branding’

This wound deals with the use of 'Image' to ensure that a person or group of persons is clearly recognized by others in society as worthy of poor treatment.

Such application of imaging may be conscious or unconscious, and may be accepted by the receivers or rejected by them.  Whatever the case. the imaging of people in a negative manner permits the futire poor treatment of the person or group.

The 'image' may be a natural occurrence (Down Syndrome face, Loss of the nose in Leprosy, Racial (usually facial) characteristics, unusual gait etc.) or applied by society- clothing, corporal branding, insignia etc..

Examples include:

Yellow stars worn by Jews in Hitler's Germany

Prison striped uniforms

Down Syndrome face

Non-Caucasian features or skin colour

Shabby clothing that identifies one as poor

Incorrect length trousers identifying insititutionalized people

Loss of hand or foot under Sharia Law

Branding as a punishment

Unusual haircuts- pudding basin, too short, too long etc.

The list can be continued almost without end- find a reason for society to devalue a particular group, and there will almost always be some form of Symbolic Stigmatizing accompanying and reinforcing it.

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