Talcott Parsons describes illness as, “the sick person, is in some respect disabled from fulfilling normal social obligations” (Parsons, 1951: 453). Parsons upholds that when defining illness, it must be described as outside the range of normal, something that is interfering with ordinary life. Being exempt from normal social obligations due to illness, is arguably problematic for not only how people perceive our identities, but also how we value our own. When concerning our identities, Goffman explains how, society establishes the means of categorising persons and the complement of attributes felt to be ordinary and natural for members of each of these categories (Goffman, 1963: 5). The aforementioned theory of social construct by Goffman,
…show more content…
However, within Wilsons article “When you have children, you’re obliged to live” it examines the inter-relationship between illness and key sources of identity (Wilson, 2007: 610), it counters the prevailing attitude toward illness and how it is an undesirable state (Parsons, 1975: 258). It acknowledges that women with a Chronic illness (HIV/AIDS in this case) can still express their rights of being competent mothers, despite possessing a stigma and an undesired differentness (Goffman, 1963: p.5). The interviewee’s in Wilsons article express how the potentially fatal nature of the HIV infection seem to pose an even greater threat to their identities as good mothers, than its associated stigma (Wilson, 2007: 617). Here, Wilson specifically emphasises how the mothers were more concerned about how their illness posed a threat to their identities and their roles as mothers rather than how others perceived them thus amplifying their love for their children. The article is centred around the transformation and renegotiation of the female’s whole identities and lives for the sake of their children. The interviewees pointed to their wariness of new relationships, emphasising the potential danger to their children (Wilson, 2007: 617) once more stressing how their children’s needs are placed first and foremost. It is clear that within this article, Wilson demonstrates the somewhat positive effects of the relationship between illness and
However, within Wilsons article “When you have children, you’re obliged to live” it examines the inter-relationship between illness and key sources of identity (Wilson, 2007: 610), it counters the prevailing attitude toward illness and how it is an undesirable state (Parsons, 1975: 258). It acknowledges that women with a Chronic illness (HIV/AIDS in this case) can still express their rights of being competent mothers, despite possessing a stigma and an undesired differentness (Goffman, 1963: p.5). The interviewee’s in Wilsons article express how the potentially fatal nature of the HIV infection seem to pose an even greater threat to their identities as good mothers, than its associated stigma (Wilson, 2007: 617). Here, Wilson specifically emphasises how the mothers were more concerned about how their illness posed a threat to their identities and their roles as mothers rather than how others perceived them thus amplifying their love for their children. The article is centred around the transformation and renegotiation of the female’s whole identities and lives for the sake of their children. The interviewees pointed to their wariness of new relationships, emphasising the potential danger to their children (Wilson, 2007: 617) once more stressing how their children’s needs are placed first and foremost. It is clear that within this article, Wilson demonstrates the somewhat positive effects of the relationship between illness and