Definition:
Class stigma is the social devaluation of people associated with poverty or working-class status.
Usage Context:
Appears in media portrayals, political rhetoric, and everyday language.
Critical Note:
Stigma justifies neglect. When poverty is framed as shameful, harm becomes acceptable.
Related Terms:
Status Anxiety, Moral Panic, Victim Blaming, Normalisation Pressure, Respectability Politics