Final answer:
A stigma represents a mark of disgrace aligned with a culturally-devalued group, often leading to prejudice and discrimination against individuals based on their minority status. This is particularly true for racial minorities, people with disabilities, and other groups that carry physical or cultural traits devalued by society.
Step-by-step explanation:
A disgrace or defect that indicates that a person belongs to a culturally-devalued group is known as a stigma. In a sociological context, this stigma often manifests when people are singled out for unequal treatment because of physical or cultural traits that are devalued by the dominant culture. The concept of stigma is closely related to minority groups, which sociologist Louis Wirth described as those who experience differential and unequal treatment due to their distinguishing characteristics. Such groups may include, but are not limited to, people with disabilities, the LGBTQ community, or religious and ethnic minorities.
For instance, people with disabilities can experience stigmatization by being labeled and discriminated against, which can overshadow the complexity of their identities and reduce them to simplistic stereotypes such as "the blind girl" or "the boy in the wheelchair." Similarly, members of racial minority groups may encounter pervasive prejudice and disrespect that profoundly impacts their social experiences and status.