Understanding the power of labels

Explore how societal labels shape identity, perception, and reality in the context of homelessness and escorting.

The profound impact of labeling theory

      While feminist theory helps explain the structural side of my experience, labeling theory explains the social and personal consequences that come after. Labeling theory focuses on how being assigned a label, such as “deviant” or “criminal,” can shape how others treat you and how you begin to see yourself (Becker, 1963). These labels are not neutral. They carry assumptions that can follow a person long after the original situation has changed.

Why labels matter in homelessness and escorting

      Being associated with escorting and homelessness meant being reduced to labels. Instead of being seen as someone navigating a difficult situation, I was often seen through a narrow lens that didn’t leave room for complexity. Labels like “junkie,” “prostitute,” or “homeless” carried immediate assumptions about my character, my worth, and my future. Research shows that stigma toward homeless individuals, especially women, can act as a barrier to accessing healthcare, housing, and support services, reinforcing cycles of marginalization (Turrell, 2023).

      Over time, those labels don’t just affect how other people see you. They can start to affect how you see yourself. Labeling theory suggests that when people are repeatedly treated according to a label, it can shape their identity and behavior in lasting ways (Becker, 1963). Even after leaving that environment, the stigma doesn’t just disappear. It lingers in interactions, opportunities, and sometimes in self-perception. Understanding this is crucial for empathy and systemic change.

A real-life experience with labeling theory

      I remember a time when I tried to access services while I was still on the street. I wasn’t introducing myself as a “prostitute” or anything like that. I was just a woman trying to get help. But the moment certain details about my situation came out, like being homeless, struggling with addiction, and how I was surviving, the way I was treated shifted. The conversation changed. The tone changed. It felt like I had gone from being a person asking for help to being a problem they were managing. No one had to actually say the words out loud, but the label was there. You could feel it in the way people looked at you, the assumptions they made, and the options they offered, or didn’t offer.

      Instead of being seen as someone who needed support, I was seen through a lens of “junkie,” “sex worker,” or “high-risk.” And once that label was attached, it shaped everything. It affected how seriously I was taken, what resources I was given access to, and how much patience or empathy I received. And in all honesty, I still wear those labels today even after doing so much work to better my situation. Stigma and bias continue to follow me long after leaving those labels in the past. The effect it could have on a person is the desire to return to the places they were before, that they had grown accustomed to. Outstitutionalization refers to how a homeless person has trouble adapting to normal society and is compelled to go back to their homeless communities due to difficulties reentering society (Christensen, 2026). Labels stick and sometimes become a persons entire identity.