1Roman Stigma of Cunnilingus
In ancient Rome, cunnilingus was stigmatized, and men who performed it were subject to mockery, as evidenced by humorous graffiti such as the insult "c*nt licker" aimed at a local candidate for office.
2. Dissecting human bodies was stigmatized in antiquity up until the 16th century, with the only people to systematically do it before then being Erasistratus and Herophilus from Alexandria. Despite pioneering medicine and anatomy, their work was heavily criticized by contemporaries, particularly their practice of vivisections.
3. Unmarried women in their late 20s were stigmatized in Japan as "Christmas Cakes" because they were seen as undesirable after the 25th.
4. In Japan, houses whose former tenants died from unnatural causes are called "jiko bukken," meaning stigmatized property. Such events may lead to a massive devaluation of the property, and failing to disclose them can void the rental contract, as it is mandatory under Japanese law.
5. During the Irish Famine, some Protestants offered to feed children, but only if they received Protestant teachings. This forced Catholics to choose between their children and their faith, resulting in the stigmatization of all Protestant charity. "Souper" remained an insult into the 20th century.
Latest FactRepublic Video:
15 Most Controversial & Costly Blunders in History
6Van Gogh's Mental Stigma
The tendency to see Vincent van Gogh's mental illness in his work began as a rebuke by critics who hated it during a time when mental illness was highly stigmatized. Van Gogh was only seriously ill during the final two years of his life.
7. Until 1979, deaf students in Nicaragua were stigmatized and barred from attending school. With deaf schools opening but no experienced teachers, teens developed a unique sign language. In just six years, younger students joining were fluent and well-versed in the new sign language, stunning linguists.
8. In some Pacific Island cultures, obesity is viewed as a sign of wealth and status, which can lead to a lack of awareness and prevention of associated health issues, perpetuating the stigma surrounding obesity. As a result, over 70% of citizens aged 15 and over in the Pacific are obese, making it a significant problem.
9. Sushruta of ancient India was the first known plastic surgeon in the world who specialized in rhinoplasty. Convicted criminals and women accused of adultery had their noses amputated back then as a mark of untrustworthiness, causing stigma. Rhinoplasty offered them a chance to escape this stigma.
10. In India, unconvicted prisoners are protected from the stigma of being handcuffed, as the Supreme Court ruled that it violates their fundamental rights and dignity. Instead, policemen hold hands with the prisoners as they are escorted, preventing the added stigma of being publicly restrained.
11Demonic Possession Defense
The 1981 trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, also known as the "Devil Made Me Do It" case, is the first known court case in the US where the defense sought to prove innocence based on the defendant's claim of demonic possession and denial of personal responsibility for the crime.
12. NMDA-receptor encephalitis, an autoimmune disease that mimics the symptoms of demonic possession, is stigmatized due to its lack of awareness and understanding. It primarily affects young women and can manifest suddenly without any prior warning.
13. In East Africa, people with albinism are stigmatized and persecuted due to the belief that they possess magical powers. Witch doctors kidnap them and use their body parts as ingredients in magical potions, resulting in the killing of at least 75 albinos in Tanzania since 2006. Myths suggest that their hair, teeth, skin, and genitals bring good health.
14. When Beijing fell to the Qing, the last Ming Emperor murdered two of his daughters and his consort, sliced another daughter's arm off, and then he and his wife hanged themselves "unable to face [his] ancestors" in shame due to the social stigma of losing their throne.
15. The Earl of Oxford let out a fart when he bowed down to Queen Elizabeth I and left the country for seven years in shame. Upon his return to court, the Queen commented, "My lord, I had forgotten the fart!"
16Hello Kitty Armbands
Bangkok police officers used to use striped armbands on their officers as a badge of shame for minor infractions, but the striped armbands began to be viewed as collectibles by offending officers. As a result, since 2007, the police have been using Hello Kitty armbands to avoid the perverse incentives associated with the previous system.
17. The only Japanese passenger on the Titanic, Masabumi Hosono, survived the tragedy but was called a coward by his fellow countrymen for acting dishonorably and immorally, which carried a social stigma.
18. The Apple III computer was supposed to replace the very successful Apple II. However, it was such a failure that Steve Jobs said that the company lost "infinite, incalculable amounts" of money. The association with the III caused such a stigma that most employees who worked on the product left Apple.
19. The term "public relations" was popularized by Edward Bernays, nephew of Freud, who promoted the term to avoid the stigma of the word "propaganda."
20. Tattoos in Japan (Irezumi) were banned from 1868-1948. Traditional Japanese tattoos were associated with the yakuza (Japanese Mafia), as they were used to mark the skin of outlaws. To this day, they retain a stigma of criminality, and many businesses still ban customers with tattoos.
21Florence Nightingale Nurse
Despite the social stigma surrounding nurses being prostitutes and alcoholics, Florence Nightingale left her comfortable bourgeois lifestyle to become a nurse, inventing the modern hospital ward, pie charts, and the death certificate.
22. The full name of the "king" puppet from Mr. Rogers Neighborhood was "King Friday the 13th," so they could celebrate his birthday every Friday the 13th in the hopes that children wouldn't view the day with the same stigma.
23. In a WWII cemetery in France, there is a section dedicated to over 90 US soldiers who were executed, mostly for rape and murder, and are considered the "dishonorable dead". The graves all face in the opposite direction of the other graves in the cemetery and are marked only with serial numbers due to the stigma attached to their crimes. This section is also inaccessible to the public.
24. Doctors have the highest suicide rate of any profession, more than double the rate of the general population. Psychiatry is near the top in terms of suicide rates, with many doctors who have mental health issues reluctant to seek professional help due to the fear of stigma.
25. MSG is generally accepted as harmless by the scientific community, with the negative stigma arising from a handful of anecdotal complaints in the 1960s.
