Stigma and counter-stigma in contemporary society

The paper outlines "counter-stigma" as a new characterizing element in contemporary society. The author has defined conflictual counter-stigma what is paradoxical stigmatization of stigma, a negative social reaction to stigmatization of certain categories traditionally perceived and labelled as deviant. The most interesting aspect of this phenomenon is the coexistence of stigma attached to its usual modern society attributes -physical traits, faith, sexual orientation etcetera- and the stigmatization of stigmatizers as such on the other hand. Social change from deviance to conformity, that is the shift from negative moral judgement, harsh disapproval of behaviour or quality to social tolerance and finally, acceptance, doesn't pass as in the past through mere socio-educational de-construction of stigma and discrimination or protest by social movements claiming rights and positive identities acknowledgement. According to the author, the social transformation of deviance nowadays is highly conflictual due to extreme social differentiation derived from values fragmentation. A “stigma contest” as well as even a “labelling war” emerge rather than a behaviour progressive shift from deviance to conformity. There are attacks directed to specific individuals e.g., homophobic ones aimed to stigmatize them according to a social exclusion process exactly as attacks, stigma, and social exclusion of LGTB persons. Homophobia is stigmatized exactly as homosexuality and interestingly stigma is directed to behaviour because is a negative reaction to another behaviour perceived as deviant. Same Durkheim’s function of deviance as reinforcement of social moral cohesion is definitively challenged and disputed.