Ch. 4 Stereotypes

In this last blog of our assignment I will be discussing what a stereotype is and how it affects our everyday lives.

Before telling you some instances where I have been stereotyped, first we need to understand just what it really means to be stereotyped. Stereotyping is a term used when generalizations are made to a person who is found within a certain group. Race and gender are two of the main stereotypes that there are. In high schools everywhere labels are constantly being used. Jocks, nerds, stoners, cheerleaders, and band geeks are just a few examples. One general stereotype is against women. Many think that women could never be as fast, strong or smart as men. There also is a stereotype that all women can't drive. There are also a couple of other stereotypes I have personally been categorized into. I live in a very small town where you pretty much know everybody and everything you could possibly need to know about them. Nothing can be kept a secret and gossip spreads like wildfire. My hometown is very low key and surrounded by cornfields. Whenever someone asks where I live and I tell them they automatically assume that we are all rednecks. People also assume that we are all illiterate and technologically challenged. There is also another stereotype that I have encountered. I used to get blonde highlights in my hair and one time I dyed all of my hair blonde. My brother and the rest of my family used to joke that after dying my hair my IQ instantly dropped and I became a dumb blonde. They would talk down to me like I had no idea what they were talking about and it got to the point where I had to dye it back to all brown. Stereotypes can be a compliment but most are just general statements made about a group that really doesn't describe the individuals within the group.