The Stigma of Involuntary Childlessness

摘要: In this paper, I analyze the stigma associated with involuntary childlessness and compare perceptions behavior of physically infertile women fertile who are involuntarily childless. also consider information management strategies developed to offset stigma. These include selective concealment, therapeutic preventive disclosure, medical disclaimers, deviance avowal, a process practiced deception. conclude that, although feel more stigmatized, manage actively protect their husbands from sexual dysfunction. Theoretically, suggest that these self-label infertility as discreditable or stigmatizing apart any formal informal response.