L'épiderme et l'épidémie

sur l'enjeu de visibilité dans la construction de deux catégories minoritaires

Abstract

his article compares two social movements with the view to understanding how the stakes of visibility and invisibility impact the building of social categories. The case studies are the struggle of Black people against racism, and that of HIV/sida victims against the epidemic. It emerges that visibility plays a key role in framing the borders of a social minority. Relying on Goffman's canonical definition of « stigma », we try to assess in a comparative fashion the implications of a « hideable » social stigma (disease) and of an « obvious » one (blackness) on the mobilisation strategies. We argue that in fact both groups fight in a comparable fashion, looking to enhance their visibility in the social space in order to obtain official recognition as a minority. Whilst HIV/sida victims have to invent their visibility, they don't do so freely, as norms and values weigh on their social reputation. Black people seem to have no choice but to match the existent racial category – but with the opportunity to redefine its « thickness » and signification. We eventually argue that a social group has to make its borders and suffering visible to become a « minority », but this is not without the risk of reinforcing its stigmatisation. Hence, such a strategy can only be understood if one conceives the created category as limited in time and made only for the purpose of struggle. With the help of institutions called to fight the oppression they suffer, the category eventuality seeks its own destruction.