Ibtisam Jeraj

Dignity can be defined as, a state or quality of being worthy of honour or respect from others or from one-self (Oxford Dictionary 2021). I will therefore discuss dignity using this definition. Within this scenario there are a few things that we can look at.  

  1. Mrs Jones’ dignity at the church:  

It appears that wearing a wig has been a part of Mrs Jones identity for many years, which means that she feels ‘worthy of honour and respect’ when she wears it. Sarah is insisting that she wears her wig to protect her dignity, as Mrs Jones may feel uncomfortable, and people may look at her differently at the church which may reduce her self-respect and therefore her dignity.  

  1. Mrs Jones’ dignity in the current moment: 

Although Sarah believes she is trying to protect Mrs Jones’ dignity at the church, she is currently not accepting Mrs Jones’ decision. If Mrs Jones is feeling ‘worthy of honour and respect’ without her wig, then perhaps not wearing a wig makes her feel dignified. Just any other person, Mrs Jones may have changed her mind about her hairstyle and her decision should be respected. Mrs Jones may not have the mental capacity to make all her decisions, however she should not be deprived from making decisions that are personal to herself and are not harmful to anyone. Therefore, in the current moment, Sarah is taking away her dignity by forcing her to put on the wig.  

In order to treat Mrs Jones with dignity in this case, Sarah should respect her decision and let her leave without her wig since Mrs Jones appears to be adamant that she would not like to wear it. However, there is a chance that when Mrs Jones is outdoors, she may feel like putting on her wig now that she will have had the experience of being outside without it. To ensure that Mrs Jones still has the option, Sarah could put a wig in Mrs Jones’ bag or give it to the family member who is picking her up. By doing this, Sarah can ensure that Mrs Jones’ options are open, and Mrs Jones can change her mind if she does feel undignified without her wig.