Less is known, however, about the extension of that stigma to their romantic partners. Vieraitis said the researchers cannot generalize their findings to all women or all women of color who have had romantic relationships with men who are incarcerated. They spoke about the negative reactions from their family and friends who questioned or ridiculed them for their choices in romantic partners. “The ways in which women manage this stigma are interesting and contribute to our understanding of what limitations partners face and how they attempt to overcome them. “By understanding how romantic partners are impacted by and manage courtesy stigma, we can better understand how to promote policies that foster healthy relationships,” Vieraitis said.