Stereotypes: One Author's Opinion

February 28, 2017

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All white Americans are lazy and obese. All Mexicans came into America illegally. All Muslims are terrorists. All Asians are smart. Men can do so much more than women.

 

As society has got worse over the years, so is how we treat people and talk about our other peers. Sometimes, we do not even realize if we are categorizing someone or judging them. One major thing people do as a whole is stereotype others. Stereotypes is a way in which we simplify our social world. Most stereotypes have a negative impact on people, stereotypes mostly exist of different racial groups, sexuality, and gender. Stereotyping people is not based on how the person being stereotyped acts, but more based on how the person judging them acts. While the person doing the judging thinks s/he is saying something about another person, their actions speak more for themselves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Advice (Image 1)

 

If you think to yourself, how does judging and stereotyping better myself? The answer is, it does not. Stereotyping is not only hurtful, it is also wrong. Even if the stereotype is correct in some cases, constantly putting someone down based on your preconceived perceptions will not encourage them to succeed.

 

 

Stereotyping can lead to bullying from a young age. Some examples include, ‘Jocks’ and ‘Preps’ pick on the ‘Nerds and the Geeks’; ‘Skaters’ pick on the ‘Goths’, so on and so forth. Stereotyping is encouraging bullying behavior that children carry into adulthood.

 

 

As I looked up on how people feel when or after they get stereotyped, I found that stereotyping can also lead people to live lives driven by hate, and can cau se the victims of those stereotypes to be driven by fear. According to the website, Stereotype Examples, “many gays and lesbians are afraid to admit their sexuality in fear of being judged. It is a lose-lose situation, both for those who are doing the stereotype and those who are victims.” It is very important to realize that judging people based on stereotypes can be damaging.

 

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Don't let stereotypes define you (Image 2)

 

 

To conclude, people will continue to judge people, people will not change unless they hear the truth of stereotyping. Stereotyping will not better yourself. Just think of it vise versa, how would you like if someone was stereotyping you and it was not true? Overall, people should make a stand for stereotyping and speak the truth of people, not the opposite of it.