Among the challenges faced by individuals with blindness and low vision is navigating a sighted world and the preconceived notions of what it means to be blind.

This series will explore the development of stigma theory from original conception by Erving Goffman in 1963, to current theoretical conceptualisations and categorisations. Understanding that stigma exists as a “matter of degree” (Link & Phelan, 2001, p.377) we will examine the specific dimensions that contribute to social stigma and how these can vary not only between individuals experiencing BLV but also within the individual throughout their own personal journey of BLV.

Stigma research acknowledges the potential negative implications of long-term stigmatisation, specifically for children experiencing stigma research has shown impacts to development of sense of self, mindset, independence and potentially the internalisation toward self-stigma. Within disability stigma research it is acknowledged that “a family of a child with a disability is a family with a disability” (Glidden, 1993, p.482), as such, it is important to explore all typologies of stigma from enacted, to felt, to courtesy, understanding that all family members are exposed to stigma experiences.

Finally, this series will consider the benefits and positive impacts of stigma resistance, disability advocacy, and the power of community, as well as the possible influence of BLV educators and professionals in reducing the impact of stigma.

While stigma research within blindness and low vision is somewhat limited this series will draw on other disability research to consider “like stigma” experiences that help inform our understanding of BLV stigma experiences.

This online series will be held from 3-4pm each Monday:

1. Defining Stigma & stigma theory

Monday 3 November

• Initial thoughts: “is this stigma?”

• Unpacking disability models

• Defining stigma and stigma theory

• Conceptualisations of stigma

• “Like stigma” clusters

Experiences of stigma

Monday 17 November

• Disability and stigma

• Typology of stigma

• Who experiences stigma

Impact of stigma

Monday 24 November

• Anticipated stigma

• Stigma avoidance

• Three A’s of self stigma

• Deeper impact of stigma

Resisting stigma

Monday 8 December

• Stigma resistance

• Disability advocacy

• Power of community

• Power of educators and education