In Qu茅bec, socially recognized grief typically centers on kinship relationships: wives become widows, children become orphans. But what socially recognized state of grief exists for those outside of the 鈥渋mmediate family鈥�, such as a friend or colleague?
Thanatologist Kenneth J. Doka terms grief that lacks social recognition or support 鈥渄isenfranchised grief鈥�. Such grief does not receive the acknowledgment or validation typically given to more conventional relationship losses, making it difficult for individuals to receive support and understanding from others.
The dominant narrative of grief perpetuates the idea that it is private and that discussing death will be upsetting. This narrative disenfranchises and stigmatizes grief, potentially resulting in isolation and concealment.
The sending of sympathy cards suggests that mourning is not solely an individual experience but one that involves collective acknowledgment. Some contemporary sympathy cards reflect a shift in attitude that acknowledges grief associated with miscarriage, stigmatized loss (such as related to suicide or drug overdose), the loss of a pet, or the loss of a member of a chosen or found family. This shift reveals the evolving boundaries of grief and the diversity of lived mourning experiences.