“Stigma craft” is a term used to describe the deliberate creation, manipulation, and deployment of stigma by individuals, groups, or institutions to achieve specific goals. It involves the strategic use of stigma as a tool to influence public perception, control social narratives, or marginalize certain groups.

The concept of stigma craft highlights how stigma is not just a passive or accidental phenomenon but can be actively crafted and used as a form of social or political engineering. This process can involve several techniques:

Labeling

Assigning derogatory or negative labels to individuals or groups to devalue them in the eyes of others. For example, labelling people as “criminals” or “deviants” can stigmatize them and justify punitive measures.

Stereotyping

Promoting and reinforcing stereotypes that simplify complex social issues into easily stigmatized categories, making it easier to rally support against those who are stereotyped.

Scapegoating

Using a stigmatized group as a scapegoat for broader societal problems, thereby diverting attention from the actual causes and focusing blame on a vulnerable population.

Propaganda

Crafting messages that spread and amplify stigma through media, political speeches, or social campaigns to influence public opinion and behaviour.

Social Control

Utilizing stigma as a means of controlling or disciplining populations, by making certain behaviours or identities socially unacceptable and punishing those who deviate from the norm.

An example of stigma craft could be seen in political campaigns that demonize a particular group (such as immigrants, welfare recipients, or religious minorities) to create fear and division, thereby garnering support for policies that target those groups.

In essence, stigma craft refers to the intentional and strategic production of stigma to serve specific interests, often at the expense of the targeted groups’ rights, dignity, and social standing.

Summarised from “Stigma: the machinery of inequality” by Imogen Taylor, Bloomsbury Academic 2020

Stigma craft in the UK

Stigma craft in the UK can be understood as the deliberate and strategic effort to marginalize and control these identities through various social, political, and cultural tactics. Here’s an example of how stigma craft might be used against both trans people and those who identify as eunuchs:

Framing Gender Diversity as a Threat

Trans People

In the UK, stigma craft against trans people often involves framing gender diversity as a threat to traditional societal norms. For example, public narratives may suggest that the increasing visibility and acceptance of trans identities are confusing children or undermining the integrity of gender-segregated spaces like bathrooms and changing rooms. This framing is used to generate fear and opposition, thereby reinforcing stigma against trans people by portraying them as a danger to societal order.

Eunuchs

Similarly, those who identify as eunuchs may be subject to stigma craft through narratives that depict their gender identity as unnatural or confusing. In a society that often still adheres to a strict male-female binary, eunuchs might be marginalized by being cast as “exceptions” or as individuals who do not fit into the expected norms. The deliberate use of language and rhetoric that questions the legitimacy or “normalcy” of the eunuch identity contributes to their stigmatization, reinforcing the idea that gender diversity beyond the binary is problematic or invalid.

Selective Use of Data and Misrepresentation

Trans People

Politicians or media outlets may engage in stigma craft by selectively presenting data or stories that support a negative view of trans people. For example, rare cases of regret after transitioning might be amplified in public discourse to suggest that many trans people are making a mistake, thereby casting doubt on the legitimacy of trans identities. This selective focus on negative outcomes is a strategic effort to craft stigma, undermining the broader, positive experiences of the majority of trans people.

Eunuchs

For those who identify as eunuchs, similar tactics might involve emphasizing outdated or biased medical perspectives that pathologize their identity. This could involve the misrepresentation of eunuchs as suffering from a psychological disorder or as being “confused” about their gender, rather than recognizing eunuch as a valid and legitimate gender identity. By controlling the narrative in this way, stigma is crafted to marginalize eunuchs and deny them the same recognition and respect afforded to other gender identities.

Political Rhetoric and Policy

Trans People

In the political arena, stigma craft against trans people can be seen in the opposition to legal reforms that would support trans rights, such as the Gender Recognition Act reform. Opponents of such reforms often use rhetoric that crafts stigma by suggesting that legal recognition of trans identities will lead to negative social consequences, such as the erosion of women’s rights or the endangerment of children. This strategic use of fear-mongering tactics creates and reinforces stigma, influencing public opinion and policy decisions.

Eunuchs

Although the identity of eunuchs might not be as prominently discussed in political debates, similar tactics could be used to oppose the recognition of eunuch identities or to deny them the legal protections afforded to other gender identities. For instance, a lack of recognition or explicit exclusion of eunuch identities in gender identity laws or healthcare policies can be seen as a form of stigma craft, where the omission itself reinforces the marginalization of eunuchs by denying them visibility and support within the legal framework.

Cultural Narratives and Social Exclusion

Trans People

Cultural narratives in the UK often reinforce stigma against trans people by promoting stereotypes or myths about what it means to be trans. For example, the narrative that being trans is a “trend” or a “phase” that young people are going through can be a form of stigma craft. By framing trans identities in this way, these narratives diminish the legitimacy of trans experiences and contribute to social exclusion.

Eunuchs

For eunuchs, cultural narratives might frame them as relics of the past or as individuals with an “outdated” or “exotic” identity. This can lead to social exclusion by positioning eunuchs as outside the norm and not fully part of contemporary discussions about gender. The stigma craft here lies in the deliberate use of cultural references or stereotypes to other and marginalize eunuchs, making it more difficult for them to be recognized and accepted as a modern gender identity.

Conclusion

Stigma craft in the UK is used against both trans people and those who identify as eunuchs by strategically shaping public narratives, political rhetoric, media representation, and cultural attitudes to reinforce stigma. This process seeks to marginalize these identities by portraying them as threats, pathologizing their experiences, or denying them legal and social recognition. By understanding how stigma is crafted and deployed, we can better challenge and dismantle the mechanisms that perpetuate discrimination and marginalization against diverse gender identities.