Progressives speak only of stigma when it fits the narrative of those “approved” marginalized groups.  Talking about stigma when it comes to homosexuals, asexuals, racial minorities, the religious persecuted, and so on is considered fine and well.  Many will even fight to eliminate, or at least reduce, such stigma.  Stigma does not attach itself to only those acceptable groups however.  Stigma, by definition, extends to those that no one will fight for: the zoophile, psychopath, and other rejects of society.  I feel the pain of the non-practicing pedophile and the frustration of the closeted antisocial.  We have to keep our authentic selves out of sight, even if we honor society by refusing to act out in any further fashion.

I’ve been reminded of my own stigma these past few days as I peruse online personals.  One profile mentioned that the individual was an author.  Hey, I’m an author too!  Oh wait, I can’t mention that fact because my book is on a subject that is too taboo for most.  Another profile mentioned their INTJ personality type.  Same here, but I don’t want to risk outing myself toward those that may realize the supposed association between INTJ types and antisocial proclivities.  I find that I have to censor my words and my speech, knowing that one false slip and the cat may be out of the bag before I’ve shown it on my terms.

Why is my stigma acceptable when others have stigma declared to be unjust?  Why do I have to censor myself when others have allies that ask them to speak?  I am one of society’s rejects and I always will be.  I can wish for a day in which I can let my true self known to those I wish to disclose to and have them as allies in my fight to remove the self-imposed censorship that I must live, and die, by.  Ultimately, this honors both parties: myself and whom I am communicating with.  Potential conversations and relationships could be aborted with respect rather than abject horror.

I am not a killer, but you wouldn’t know it by the voices of society.  I try to act in a prosocial manner these days, but society does not care – they only see my past.  My sentence, should I ever act out enough to be on the authority’s radar, will be longer.  All of this is due to the stigma of the condition and the uneducated by deafening voices that dominate discussion on the topic.