destigmatize

English

Etymology

de- +‎ stigmatize

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /diːˈstɪɡmətaɪz/

Verb

destigmatize (third-person singular simple present destigmatizes, present participle destigmatizing, simple past and past participle destigmatized)

1. (transitive) To remove the disgraceful or ignominious characterization; to remove stigma or stigmata.
   • 1999, Thomas Stephen Szasz, Fatal freedom: the ethics and politics of suicide:

     Before we can destigmatize suicide — assuming that is what we want to do — we must acknowledge that killing oneself is still an intensely stigmatized act...

   • 2023 October 1, Jordyn Holman, quoting Leslie Schrock, “Gen Z Wants Feminine Care Brands to Just Say Vagina”, in The New York Times‎^[1], →ISSN:

     “All these companies now are trying to be hip and colorful and just really destigmatize these products,” said Leslie Schrock, an investor with several portfolio companies in the women’s health sector and the author of books on pregnancy and fertility.

Alternative forms

• destigmatise

Antonyms

• stigmatize

Related terms

• destigmatization

Translations

remove the disgraceful or ignominious characterization from

• French: déstigmatiser (fr)
• German: entstigmatisieren, destigmatisieren (rare)