Stigma is a persistent form of negative social evaluation that devalues individuals and groups, reinforcing normative societal hierarchies. While prior research accepts that stigma is enduring, it also understands that stigma is socially constructed and focused on uncovering the dynamics of stigmatization and destigmatization. However, these accounts often portray a gradual, linear process in which a category becomes either stigmatized or destigmatized. In contrast, our paper introduces the concept of bounded destigmatization. We argue that even amidst persistent stigma there are situations in which the stigma is lifted, even if only temporarily. We draw on the scholarship on liminality to theorize how spatiotemporal contexts promote the suspension of stigma. We contend that stigmatized actors actively construct liminal spaces – contexts where normative hierarchies are disrupted, symbolic boundaries redefined, and stigmatized identities reimagined – where the negative judgment of stigma does not apply. These contexts serve as temporary shelters that foster solidarity, create alternative value systems, and allow stigmatized individuals to engage in authentic interactions. We thus contribute to stigma research by emphasizing how stigmatized groups actively mobilize liminality to construct safe spaces where they can embrace their practices and identities without the stigmatizing gaze. We uncover the boundary work they engage into to construct such spaces and suggest avenues for future research on sustaining spaces of bounded destigmatization and fostering broader social transformation.
