The very next Sunday (just three days later) I, along with a congregation of approximately three hundred people, watched as a layman stood at the pulpit, held his Bible two inches in front of his face, and proceeded to read the morning's Scripture lesson. Watching in awe, I felt like I had been thumped on the head. Could the timing of this visual be explained by chance or coincidence? Of course it could, both are possible. However I saw this man's courage as an eye-opening message being sent from the universe which said "take a look at this example of how to defeat stigma in healthcare".
It made me think that no matter how much I or others write on the topic of defeating stigma in healthcare, or how much traction a public awareness campaign on this theme gains, stigma will remain with us until those of us who are stigmatized find it within ourselves to display the same type of courage I had witnessed that Sunday morning.
Have you noticed recently a saying which seems to be growing in popularity - "It is what it is" -- well, to paraphrase, we are what we are. If there are steps in our way and we want to go where everyone else is going, perhaps it's time we scooted up or down like little kids often do with gay abandon. If we can't hear as well as is needed to interact and sign language is not an option, then perhaps it's time to carry and write messages on one of those old-fashioned toy slates that many of us drew upon as kids, then lifted the plastic and the "art" magically disappeared.
I've often asked the question: defeating stigma in healthcare, whose responsibility is it? Now I'm beginning to think that is the wrong question. Maybe the right question is who is going to do it. Are you? Am I? Now there's the question.
