Crazy, huh?

In our culture, we don't just label people as deviant and leave them alone. We tend to bully people who are different. We've created a situation where being labeled deviant is so terrible that we all tend to live in fear of being labeled. We're so afraid of it, and accused with all of the negative associations, that we participate in this horrible act as well. We do this to distance ourselves from being diverse from society's way of being. I'm not saying we are all bullies, but we do all participate, to some degree, in a system that perpetuates difference and dominance. Because of this, we have absolutely impossible standards, when you really take a look at it. Here's a great example:

When it comes to size, according to society, it is bad to be fat, and good to be skinny.

But it goes further than that..

To some extent, it is okay for men to be overweight, but not women. 

And yet, there's even more to it! It's okay for women to be skinny, but not TOO skinny. If you are skinny, you are sick, are perceived to be mentally ill, and then deserve pity.

Social deviance surrounds us 24-7. We just don't take the time to actually notice. 

Jerome R. Koch, a sociology professer at Texas Tech University, performs a test to see if those who have tattoos and/or piercings are more likely to demonstrate deviant behavior. Want to find out more?

Click here to see the results!

Are you a deviant?

Everyone can be a deviant one way or another. Whether you recognize it or not, deviance is around you all day long. And you don't have to go to an extreme either, it may be by doing things as simple as these: 

• Eating sloppily in a public place
• Cutting toenails at the dinner table
• Calling your parents Mr. and Ms. *last name here* for an entire day
• Shopping out of other people's carts at the grocery store
• Wear a lampshade on your head
• Walk around campus with your girl/boy friend on a leash
• Cross-dress for a day
• Talk in third person
• Talk to yourself in a public place 
• Talk only in rhyme for a whole day
• Shave your head if you are female
• Wear ponytails if you are male

Here's a fun word search to test your knowledge on crime and deviance!

Deviance and Crime

A D Z I H F A I A F C M U J L 
S U T A T S R E T S A M F L O 
E O B Y I Y C L U O H S L R R 
I Y E L J Z W J T K X J Q L T 
E M I R C D E Z I N A G R O N 
C R I M I N O L O G Y C A Y O 
B I O T E R R O R I S M S W C 
A H U O N E W J Z Y H N T H L 
N M C V F E M I R C E T A H A 
O E C N A I V E D E T I L E I 
M R C H L E C E X W H U Z R C 
I H X L Y R O K M N R P R D O 
E S T I G M A A G I Q P A I S 
K M T C J Y P A O U R A G U T 
O R P D D E V P M Y C C H C H 

 ANOMIE- the condition existing when social regulations (norms) in a society break down
      
BIOTERRORISM- a form of terrorism involving the dispersion of chemical or biological substances intended to cause widespread disease and death
      
CRIME- one form of deviance; specifically, behavior that violates criminal laws
       
CRIMINOLOGY- the study of crime from a scientific perspective

ELITE DEVIANCE- the wrongdoing of powerful individuals and organizations

HATE CRIME- assaults and other malicious acts (including crimes against property)
motivated by various forms of bias, including that based on race,
religion, sexual orientation, ethnic and national origin, or disability

MASTER STATUS- some characteristic of a person that overrides all other features of the person’s identity

ORGANIZED CRIME-crime committed by organized groups, typically involving the illegal provision of goods and services to others

SOCIAL CONTROL- the process by which groups and individuals within those
groups are brought into conformity with dominant social exceptions
STIGMA-an attribute that is socially devalued and discredited

Hey Guys!

Thanks for visiting my blog! :) I'll be updating you all on what social deviance is, in case you didn't know, and how it affects our society today. I'll be posting a few times a week. Feel free to comment! I'd love to hear your feedback.