Stigmatizing race and gender: Subjective experiences of middle-class marijuana users

Previous research on stigma has produced a framework for understanding stigmatized statuses that is two-dimensional, neglecting that stigma is socially constructed and applied by and onto complex and multidimensional human beings in a multicultural world. Through field research and qualitative interviews with eight regular marijuana users in Southern California, I examine the subjective perceptions and experiences of stigma in order to better understand how different aspects of individuals' social location influence the risk of being stigmatized, as well as the possible consequences of that stigma. Finally, I suggest a modernized framework for understanding a multifaceted stigma that takes an intersectionality approach in order to achieve a more complete description of individual realities.