Stigma and delightStigma and delight

Dr. Patsy StaddonDr. Patsy Staddon

University of PlymouthUniversity of Plymouth

Patsy.staddon@plymouth.ac.ukPatsy.staddon@plymouth.ac.uk

Escaping from social expectations Escaping from social expectations is funis fun

‘…‘…I absolutely love feeling……well, drunk!’ I absolutely love feeling……well, drunk!’ (research (research respondent) respondent)

I’ve got friends who do exactly that [so I] just go I’ve got friends who do exactly that [so I] just go out and let my hair down and get drunk and out and let my hair down and get drunk and dance around for hours dance around for hours (research respondent) (research respondent)

‘‘Being drunk … it’s a brazen refusal to be quiet, Being drunk … it’s a brazen refusal to be quiet, well-behaved and ladylike ... Femininity ... relies well-behaved and ladylike ... Femininity ... relies on, is defined by, inhibition’ on, is defined by, inhibition’ (Lawson 2000).(Lawson 2000).

Why alcohol presents a special Why alcohol presents a special threat threat

• Our legalised drug of choiceOur legalised drug of choice• Public health model of how to use it attempts to Public health model of how to use it attempts to

limit its role in social life limit its role in social life (Hunt and Barker 2001)(Hunt and Barker 2001)

• It may be presented as potential enemy of It may be presented as potential enemy of ‘health’ and ‘order’‘health’ and ‘order’

• Particular fears expressed for ‘safety’ of young Particular fears expressed for ‘safety’ of young women who get drunkwomen who get drunk

• Shaming and stigmatising of this group in Press Shaming and stigmatising of this group in Press and in treatmentand in treatment

Distaste at ‘unfeminine’ loss of Distaste at ‘unfeminine’ loss of controlcontrol

Enjoyment of alcohol includes Enjoyment of alcohol includes relaxing of usual constraintsrelaxing of usual constraints

Most cultures recognise role of substances Most cultures recognise role of substances But all limit who can use them and howBut all limit who can use them and howGreatest freedom to use likely to be given Greatest freedom to use likely to be given

to most powerful group (e.g. men)to most powerful group (e.g. men)Least likely to be young femalesLeast likely to be young femalesProblematic as they acquire greater Problematic as they acquire greater

independence and access to substancesindependence and access to substances

So: DH message: ‘Safe, sensible, So: DH message: ‘Safe, sensible, social’…attempts persuasionsocial’…attempts persuasion

Misses the point!Misses the point!

• Getting drunk offers women escape Getting drunk offers women escape from iconic role, in which:from iconic role, in which:

• Less freedom to act outLess freedom to act out• Denied equal moral worth Denied equal moral worth (Lewis 2009) (Lewis 2009)

• Greater stigmatisation of any Greater stigmatisation of any deviancedeviance• Self-empowerment or ‘severity of Self-empowerment or ‘severity of

engagement’ ?engagement’ ?

Stigma as social control Stigma as social control

• Deviant behaviour may be called ‘illness’Deviant behaviour may be called ‘illness’• ‘‘Mutual aid model’ of treatment: internalised Mutual aid model’ of treatment: internalised

moral opprobriummoral opprobrium• Functions as lay explanation of ‘unsuitable Functions as lay explanation of ‘unsuitable

behaviour’ (behaviour’ (Rogers and Pilgrim 2010Rogers and Pilgrim 2010))• Belief systems have enormous power over how Belief systems have enormous power over how

we see mental health we see mental health (Beresford 2005) (Beresford 2005) and substance and substance use use (Staddon 2005)(Staddon 2005)

• Treatment as retribution Treatment as retribution (Hannah-Moffat 2001)(Hannah-Moffat 2001)

Pleasure in defiance and self-Pleasure in defiance and self-acknowledgement—even delight?acknowledgement—even delight?

• ‘‘I think I do sometimes see it as allowing I think I do sometimes see it as allowing me to access something that’s not me to access something that’s not necessarily accessible otherwise’ necessarily accessible otherwise’ (research (research

respondent)respondent) • ‘’‘’spose it’s a place of my own’ spose it’s a place of my own’ (research (research

respondent)respondent) • ‘‘Me tits was all hanging out…but I know I’d Me tits was all hanging out…but I know I’d

go for it again’ go for it again’ (research respondent)(research respondent)

In conclusion

Escaping from social expectations is funEscaping from social expectations is funAlcohol helps but seeing certain groups Alcohol helps but seeing certain groups

doing so creates unease doing so creates unease Who will look after the shop?Who will look after the shop?Health fears and stigma as social controlHealth fears and stigma as social controlBut the fun still beckons….But the fun still beckons….

ReferencesReferences Beresford, P. (2005) ‘Social Approaches to Madness and Distress: User Perspectives Beresford, P. (2005) ‘Social Approaches to Madness and Distress: User Perspectives

and User Knowledges’, and User Knowledges’, Social Perspectives in Mental HealthSocial Perspectives in Mental Health, ed. Tew, J., London: , ed. Tew, J., London: Jessica KingsleyJessica Kingsley

Hannah-Moffatt, K. (2001) Hannah-Moffatt, K. (2001) Punishment in Disguise: Penal Governance and Federal Punishment in Disguise: Penal Governance and Federal Imprisonment of Women in Canada.Imprisonment of Women in Canada. Toronto: Toronto University Press. Toronto: Toronto University Press.

Hunt, G. and Barker, J.C. (2001) ‘Socio-cultural anthropology and alcohol and drug Hunt, G. and Barker, J.C. (2001) ‘Socio-cultural anthropology and alcohol and drug research: towards a unified theory’, Social Science and Medicine research: towards a unified theory’, Social Science and Medicine 5353 pp.165–188. pp.165–188.

Lawson, N. (2000) ‘I drink, therefore I am’, Observer, Sunday November 12, 2000.Lawson, N. (2000) ‘I drink, therefore I am’, Observer, Sunday November 12, 2000. Lewis, L. (2009) ‘Politics of recognition: what can a human rights perspective Lewis, L. (2009) ‘Politics of recognition: what can a human rights perspective

contribute to understanding users’ experiences of involvement in mental health contribute to understanding users’ experiences of involvement in mental health services?’ services?’ Social Policy and Society Social Policy and Society 88 (2) pp. 257-274. (2) pp. 257-274.

Rogers, A. and Pilgrim, D. (2010) ‘Stigma revisited and lay representations of mental Rogers, A. and Pilgrim, D. (2010) ‘Stigma revisited and lay representations of mental health problems’, health problems’, A sociology of mental health and illnessA sociology of mental health and illness, 4, 4thth ed., Maidenhead: Open ed., Maidenhead: Open University Press. University Press.

Staddon, P. (2005) ‘Labelling Out: The Personal Account of an Ex-Alcoholic Lesbian Staddon, P. (2005) ‘Labelling Out: The Personal Account of an Ex-Alcoholic Lesbian Feminist’, in Ettorre, E. (ed.) (2005) Feminist’, in Ettorre, E. (ed.) (2005) Making Lesbians Visible in the Substance Use Making Lesbians Visible in the Substance Use Field.Field. New York: The Haworth Press. New York: The Haworth Press.