Stigma of Homelessness

Abstract

Homeless individuals constantly fight an uphill battle against a stigma that creates in them a lost sense of self. The stigma and resulting negative associations made about homeless individuals is one that keeps them in their place and unable to move forward; their stigma is for the most part universal but is one that keeps them stagnant and unable to advance. The stigma effectively holds them in a place in which they are unable to make forward progress. By exploring the effects of stigma on the homeless as well as the possibility that a stigma holds the potential for positive change, I will ultimately argue that that stigma affects people who are homeless negatively and holds them in the cycle of poverty.