Bias & Stigma

Bias is the belief that some people, groups, or ideas, are better than others.  Stigma is a strong feeling of disapproval that most people in a society have about something. Both bias and stigma are often negative or result in unfair treatment. (Source: Cambridge Dictionary) This can be a difficult discussion for many people to have, however, it’s important that we can recognize how our own bias and stigma can prevent us from being Upstanders, or even contribute to harm! 

One question many people have is “how does my bias have the ability to contribute to the harm of others?” Here are a few examples! 

Bias: Women are always victims of violence and men are always perpetrators of violence.  

Impact: We’re less likely to believe a man could be abused by a female partner, and might make jokes or blame them for what they’ve experienced, or be less likely to intervene if we see a woman harming a man. This bias also excludes gender-diverse people from the conversation! 

Bias: People can do something to provoke harm (ex: a woman wearing revealing clothing wouldn’t be dressed that way if she didn’t want attention).

Impact: We blame survivors of violence for what has happened to them, and believe that there is something they could have done to avoid the harm