Denormalization has been normalized. Seems weird how two opposing terms can perfectly fit together. You’ve likely heard it in the form of, “Why are you doing that? That’s so weird.” Honestly, it seems to have become far more common for people to hear something like that or similar. Being told that what they’re doing is socially wrong, or to even be shunned from society for simply existing in a different way than what is considered “socially acceptable”. But why does society shun people for simply being happy?
Shame is a large part of what I consider denormalization. Mostly due to the fact that denormalization is bringing shame upon someone else’s actions as a whole. It is at the core of a shame-culture. Making something, typically completely innocent, shunned by society as a whole. Many things deserve to be denormalized; such as things that are extremely morally and ethically wrong, one such example being bestiality. However, things such as simply having a certain sexuality, such as being asexual, should not be seen as something shameful.
A study by John Terrizzi and Natalie Shook shows that this sense of shaming is highly biological. This is due, unsurprisingly, to the process of keeping yourself out of harm’s way. As the study suggests, disgust of someone’s actions stems from the instinct to protect oneself from gaining an illness of some sort. Feeling shame is meant to promote social hierarchies among people. Having social hierarchies is meant to keep you safe, to biologically sort humans by similar wiring. It’s why most people make friends of similar identity to them, such as gender. Humankind, in such a way, created a system of superiority. Groups claiming to be better than others, and to be perceived that way depending on the environment. While it had started as simple social groups, it evolved into a greater hierarchy. Biologically, you may feel safer with someone like you. But do we even need social hierarchies? It seems a bit pointless, in an age where humans have evolved far past being disgusted by someone, or inducing shame within them, simply to prevent yourself from falling ill. So, while it may have had a grander use in the past, when acts and looks were simply all that mattered, it is no longer helpful.
Shame makes you try to see how you can change yourself and improve. This could be linked to trying to ascend in social hierarchy. Social hierarchies show how valuable you are to not only general society, but brings up your capability of a mate. Humans instinctively want to prove their worth, and this primal need is expressed in most of our society. However, disgust promotes the person to stay away from a group and promotes avoidance for their sake or for others. Examining shame culture seems to be far more related to this topic, but distinguishing it from the act of disgust is additionally important.
If you’ve studied things like shame and guilt cultures in the past, you likely would’ve heard of America being more of a “guilt-culture”; however, in recent times, this seems to be far less true. A guilt-culture causes the feeling of disgust. See, society evolves into what it can to separate themselves from others more. Shame-culture seems to do a wonderful job and seems to work more effectively than guilt nowadays. Guilt can be easily deterred with reassurance and support, and usually, it isn’t a full group of people attempting to guilt-trip you. Shame, however, is far more potent. Additionally, shame is louder than guilt, as it is a far more public action. While they are both widespread, guilting someone happens much more in private, while shaming someone is far more public.
Yet, there’s so much more to denormalization. That being the people who participate in it. Denormalization can easily lose its meaning in the wrong hands. The intent was always to point out things that were harmful to society, things that deserve to have light brought upon them and seen for what they truly were. Denormalization has been normalized, yes, and that would be perfectly fine if people weren’t going overboard with it and denormalizing things that are completely fine and do not harm anyone at all. For example, in many parts of social media, people denormalize being asexual and/or aromantic, citing that they had a poor first experience, and should continue trying.
Overall, denormalization can be helpful. However, it may lead you, the reader, to wonder, how do you play into the grand scale of denormalization? We, as people in a society, all contribute to denormalization in some way. Obviously, you do not condone things that you find wrong or egregious. However, it’s all a matter of how you are on that scale.
