Making someone feel ashamed or embarrassed by criticizing them publicly or pointing out their mistakes harshly.
From Old English 'scamu,' meaning shame or disgrace. The verb form with '-ing' indicates the ongoing action of causing shame.
Social media has created 'call-out culture' and public shaming on a scale never before possible—the ancient human emotion of shame is now broadcast to millions instantaneously!
Gendered shame enforcement historically targeted women's sexuality, appearance, and autonomy disproportionately. Public shaming campaigns (slut-shaming, witch hunts, honor codes) weaponized shame as patriarchal control mechanism while male equivalents were normalized or celebrated.
When discussing shame dynamics, specify whether enforcement is gendered or universal. Avoid activating shaming as a tool; center accountability and growth instead. Acknowledge power differentials in who gets shamed for what.
["accountability","consequences","feedback","correction"]
Feminist scholarship on shame resilience (Brené Brown, Audre Lorde) reframed shame as internalized oppression. Many movements (SlutWalk, #MeToo) reclaimed agency by refusing gendered shame narratives.
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