ABSTRACT
This chapter continues to argue that rhetorical ethos is a particularly relevant framing mechanism for interrogating the roles stigmas and abuses play in patterns of persuasion as they relate to social reproduction; it does so by outlining what is known about the most pervasive, specific forms of stigmas and biases patients must contend with in their day-to-day lives. This deep dive into what is known about health and medical inequalities in all of their complexity helps to carve out space for a better appreciation of the vernacular strategies participants showcase in chapters to come, such as, for example, the use of a credibility proxy and appeals to recuperative ethos. Through a deeper look at stigmas and biases in health and medical contexts, this chapter continues the project of showcasing the value of rhetorically focused humanities projects for unpacking especially thorny health and medical realities. Such issues as “anchoring bias,” or the reluctance of a care provider to let go of an initial diagnosis—even in light of new evidence—and “implicit bias,” or forms of bias that emerge in everyday exchanges that are at odds with a person’s stated ideologies, are explored in light of misdiagnosis, mental health, and stigma.
