Intersectional stigma and coping strategies of single mothers living with HIV in Thailand

Abstract

Stigma and discrimination are barriers to the prevention and treatment of HIV, and have serious biomedical, psycho-social and socio-cultural consequences, especially for marginalised groups such as sex workers, transgender people and sexual minorities. There has been little research to date on single mothers living with HIV to situate the stigma they experience within the context of gender, class, ethnicity and other intersecting social inequalities. Drawing on participant observation and in-depth interviews with 28 single mothers living with HIV in Thailand in 2020–21, this article finds that single mothers living with HIV experience intersectional stigma based on their class, ethnicity, religious status and gender, which manifests at the self, family, community and societal levels. In response to this stigmatisation, single mothers have developed four different coping strategies: self-presentation, identity talk, self-exclusion (through distancing and selective association), and empowerment. Findings from the research indicate that an intersectional approach is needed if academics, health workers, policy makers – and even the individuals concerned – are to understand and respond effectively to the HIV-related stigma experienced by specific socio-demographic groups.

Keywords:

• Intersectional stigma
• coping strategies
• single mothers
• HIV
• Thailand

Acknowledgements

I sincerely thank Peter Aggleton, the editor-in-chief of Culture, Health & Sexuality, and anonymous reviewers for their advice and feedback during the development of this article. Thanks also go to Paula Bownas for comments and edits. Last but not least, I thank Isabella, Remi and Institut de Recherche sur l’Asie du Sud-Est Contemporaine (IRASEC) for their assistance and support during fieldwork in Thailand, and the study participants for giving their time and sharing their experiences.

Disclosure statement

The author discloses no conflict of interest in the publication of this article.

Notes

1 The average monthly income of Thai households in 2020 was 21,329 THB (National Statistical Office of Thailand: see: http://statbbi.nso.go.th/staticreport/page/sector/th/08.aspx).

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong, under grant PF18-13275; and the research support grant from The Education University of Hong Kong.