Deviance

     Deviance is any behavior that does not conform to basic cultural norms and expectations, and its relationship to these questions of self and identity (Experience Sociology 191).  Now, who decides what is deviant? The norms that have been set. That goes to say that what is deviant in one society is not necessarily deviant in another. Another factor in determining what is deviant is reaction. If no one reacts to a violation, is it really deviant behavior?
     One example of deviance is public urination. Why is it considered deviant? It is considered deviant because it is not seen as a norm or "normal". You don't see people walking just urinating without people having a negative reaction. A reaction to this deviant behavior would be either getting a ticket by an officer or even being arrested.
     Another example is teenage parents. Teenage parents are highly looked down upon. The reactions people usually have are negative judgments, isolation from the teenager, and in some cases, even abandonment. They are seen as irresponsible, foolish, and even "loose". In the times of today, the age in which someone should be a parent is mid to late twenties. Anything other than that and the violator would be harshly judged. If younger, they are said to not educated enough to know the responsibilities of having a child. If older, they are seen as desperate and willing to have relations with anyone just to have a child.
     A third example is suicide. The first thing people assume is that the person was "crazy" or insane. They say things like that because it is against the norms and no one in their right mind would commit such an act.
     Those labeled as deviant have to deal with the stigma as well, or shame. In the case of suicide, the family has to deal with the stigma. The people violating the norms are treated as outsiders or outcasts.
     Another deviant act is prostitution. It is seen as a deviant act because society sees it in a dangerous and illegal light. The people who participate in prostitution are associated with drug users and pimps and so on. However, what if the context was that of Amsterdam? Prostitution has a different outlook. There is an organized setting that runs like any other business. They have front desks and receipts.
     A fifth example is abortion. Abortion has been extremely controversial for quite some time. It is the killing of an unborn baby, or the termination of a fetus. The arguments of both sides to this problem are recognizable. On one side you have people saying it is against the norm because it is the killing of a human being and people should face the consequences for such an act. On the other side, people say that it's a woman's choice since it is her body and the way she was impregnated could have been extremely traumatic.
     The last example is gang affiliation. People in gangs are seen as "trash". They are said to be uneducated, untalented, unworthy of a place in society, and they are seen as being lower than others.
     Labeling people as deviant can lead to secondary deviance. "Secondary deviance is behavior that is a response to the negative consequences of labeling" (Lemert 1951).
     Although deviance may be seen as a negative thing, it has its roles. The roles of deviance are: 1) It helps define group boundaries, 2) It helps create social solidarity and 3) It is a source of innovation. The first role helps identify those who are deviant and those who abide by the norms. The second role unites people in opposition to, or disapproval of, a shared enemy. The third role provides a source of creativity and innovation in social life.