social stigma

An illustration of examples of various social stigmas against bisexual people

Stigma, originally referring to the visible marking of people considered inferior, has evolved to mean a negative perception or sense of disapproval that a society places on a group or individual based on certain group characteristics such as their socioeconomic status, gender, race, religion, appearance, upbringing, origin, or health status. Social stigma can take different forms and depends on the specific time and place in which it arises, and the existence or assigning of such stigma is stigmatization. Once a person is stigmatized, they are often associated with stereotypes that lead to discrimination, marginalization, and psychological problems.