Navigating by sight: Rethinking the role of spaces in the management of stigmatized consumption practices – The case of men wearing skirts

Abstract

This research seeks to reconnect the management of stigmatized consumption practices with the spaces in which consumption occurs. Defining spaces as constituted through the interplay of ideological, social, and material dimensions, this work adopts a spatial perspective to examine the multiple tactics consumers employ to manage stigma. Through a study of men wearing skirts, the article identifies the coexistence of a plurality of spaces, reconstructs how engaging in the practice demands extensive learning from wearers to navigate within these spaces, and underscores the idea that stigma management is intrinsically linked to space management. This research thus opens a reflection on the continuity of spaces, the destigmatization work carried out by consumers within and through these spaces identifying strategic levers for marketing action in the revaluation of stigmatized practices.