Stigma and Language

A Note About Language

There is no such thing as a “Homeless Person.” Homelessness is something a person can experience, and it is important to recognize that this experience does not define a person. This is called “Person-centred” language, and will be used throughout this course. Using this type of language has been shown to improve how accepted a person feels in a space. Using this language also changes how we think about a person, which will in turn change how we interact with that person.

Person-centred language is not just used in talking about homelessness. For example:

You may hear other ways homelessness is talked about in the news or by others, including “houselessness,” or an “unsheltered person.” The rule of thumb is that if the word “person” is in front of whatever you say next, you’re probably using person-centred language.

Notice the last two examples in the table . This is a subtle introduction to one of the themes of this training; that individuals who might be referred to as “vulnerable” are not inherently more vulnerable than others – it is the structure of systems and institutions that creates this vulnerability. This topic will be explored in more depth in Module Two, but is worth starting to think about now.

It is also important to understand other words that can change how we and others think about a person. Many of these words to be aware of are words that have changed their meaning over time, and actually mean something other than we intend. These types of words are often referred to as “stigmatizing language,” and when we use them, we might increase someone’s sense of being an outsider, or “stigma” that a person feels. For example, “lunatic” is sometimes used to describe someone who cuts you off while driving. However, “lunatic” doesn’t mean that – it means a person who has a serious mental health diagnosis and, at one time, was to be confined to an asylum.

While it may seem small, the impact of these words is one of the most common things we hear when we ask persons experiencing homelessness how we can better improve services, and their likelihood to reach out to life-changing supports.

Why is Stigma an Issue?

You might be asking yourself at this point what’s going on – I thought we were here to learn about homelessness.

Well, we are. When we asked persons experiencing homelessness in Richmond what was preventing them from going to places like medical clinics, community centres, libraries, and appointments with outreach workers, the number one response is that they feel stigmatized being there.

So, if everyone stops reading this course right now and never opens it again, but goes back to their workplace thinking about how they can reduce stigma, you’ll already have made a difference in someone’s life – potentially one that can change it.