Framing Strategies to Move Beyond Stigma

Why is it that decades of public health anti-stigma campaigns sometimes fall short of advancing policy and system change on issues like substance use, disability, mental health, and chronic illness?

Stigma is the visible symptom of deeply-rooted cultural mindsets that shape how Americans think about health, deservingness, and justice. In this Framing Forum, we explored what FrameWorks research tells us about stigma and the need to pay attention to foundational mindsets alongside efforts to decrease stigma.

We heard from:

• FrameWorks’ Katy Evans
• Adriana Alejandre, founder of Latinx Therapy
• Madison Essig, community engagement coordinator at the National Down Syndrome Society
• Zoe Gross, director of operations at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network

In this session we discussed:

• How cultural mindsets actively generate and sustain stigma around specific health issues
• Why anti-stigma language can backfire and reinforce individualism
• Practical, evidence-based reframing strategies that can decrease bias and build the public will for health justice

Resources from the webinar

• Slide Deck
• National Down Syndrome Society
• Latinx Therapy
• Autistic Self Advocacy Network
• Mental Health Stigma Among Spanish-Speaking Latinos in Baltimore, Maryland
• End Law Syndrome
• How-To Guide: Shifting the Narrative about Childhood Obesity

About the Series: The Health Justice Framing Forum is a new series where the FrameWorks team shares timely insights on navigating communications challenges facing the movement for health equity. Through the Health Justice Framing Forum we aim to bring people together to consider evidence that helps us counter harmful rhetoric and build support for fairer, more just systems. For additional information and future dates, click here.