Writing the self: Exploring the stigma of hearing impairment

Abstract

In this article, the author illuminates in a first person narrative the emotional involvement of coping from day to day with the stigma and sensory limitation of hearing impairment. By describing a personal experience of a stigma, the work moves beyond Goffman's perspective of feeling rules and impression management to convey how people actually feel in social situations. Although Goffman was able to identify the underlying motives behind impression management, he was not able to capture the experience of stigma as an insider. The purpose here is to show the social process of living with a stigma, and to encourage others to tell their stories and contribute to a better understanding of lived experience.