Tattoos as transcendent illustrations of stigma
Müller, Elise
Tattoos as transcendent illustrations of stigma - 2024.
17
Because it constitutes a lasting mark on the skin, the tattoo can be considered as a stigma in the literal sense of the term. But it also has great similarities with stigma as sociologically conceptualized by Erving Goffman. Not constituting an attribute in itself, it is often linked to a form of margin, of distancing from the norm. Through tattooing, many individuals choose to illustrate what, in their opinion, deprives them of the attributes of a person considered “normal”. By using the body brand, they then underline, support or assume a difference felt through a ritualization of the personal story.
Tattoos as transcendent illustrations of stigma - 2024.
17
Because it constitutes a lasting mark on the skin, the tattoo can be considered as a stigma in the literal sense of the term. But it also has great similarities with stigma as sociologically conceptualized by Erving Goffman. Not constituting an attribute in itself, it is often linked to a form of margin, of distancing from the norm. Through tattooing, many individuals choose to illustrate what, in their opinion, deprives them of the attributes of a person considered “normal”. By using the body brand, they then underline, support or assume a difference felt through a ritualization of the personal story.
Réseaux sociaux