10. Stereotypes

10. Stereotypes

What is a stereotype? Well, according to Merriam-Webster, it means: (noun) an often unfair and untrue belief that many people have about all people or things with a particular characteristic (usually associated with race or religion). Racial/cultural stereotypes. (Adjective) A stereotypical representation/idea/approach.
He’s the stereotypical absentminded professor. [=he’s a professor who is absentminded in the way that people often think of professors as being]. Stereotypes are usually negative. In the table below stereotypes vocabulary in English are given, you can use these words beside your own words.

Whenever we don’t have a good understanding of a subject, say, of people or countries, then we tend to make assumptions about them. A stereotype is nothing but those assumptions that have become common agreements. Whenever you make judgments about people without knowing them, you are stereotyping them. Stereotyping makes people generalize things. Because these assumptions are made with very little true knowledge, most often they are false. Though there are both positive and negative stereotypes, a majority of them are offensive. People generally stereotype out of bias against a particular group of people or religion. Stereotyping becomes a way of conveying their dislike. Of course, stereotyping stems from a commonly held view of a particular group or race. This view may arise from an incident or false assumption, and then may be used to color the entire community with the same brush. There are various types of stereotypes. However, the most common ones are racial stereotypes and gender stereotypes. Race, nationality, gender and sexual orientation are the main factors of stereotyping. Stereotyping must be avoided at all costs, as it leads to treating groups as a single entity. Given below are examples of stereotypes that people commonly use.

Examples of Stereotypes

Negative Stereotypes

• All blond women are dumb.
• All politicians are philanders and think only of personal gain and benefit.
• Girls are only concerned about physical appearance.
• Guys are messy and unclean.
• Men who spend too much time on the computer or read are geeks.
• All librarians are women who are old, wear glasses, tie a high bun, and have a perpetual frown on their face.
• Girls are not good at sports.
• Men who like pink are effeminate

Positive Stereotypes

• All Blacks are great basketball players.
• All Asians are geniuses.
• All Indians are deeply spiritual.
• All Latinos dance well.
• All Whites are successful.
• Asians have high IQs. They are smarter than most in Math and Science. These people are more likely to succeed in school.
• African Americans can dance.
• All Canadians are exceptionally polite.
• French are romantic.
• All Asians know Kung Fu.

Racial Stereotypes

• All Muslims are terrorists.
• All white people don’t have rhythm.
• All Blacks are lazy.
• All Jewish people are greedy selfish money hungry people.
• Caucasians can’t dance.
• Russians are violent.
• All Americans are cowboys.
• All Italians are stylish and sophisticated. They are usually painters, sculptors or fashion designers.
• Germans are Nazis or fascists.
• All Asians are Chinese.
• All Middle easterners hate America.
• All Italians are good cooks.
• All Italians are mobsters or have links to the mob.
• All white people are all racist.
• Chinese will eat anything.
• All Asians are Communists.
• All Australians are bullies, racists, drinkers and constantly uses swear words. They are also portrayed as lazy and stupid morons.
• People from the Indian subcontinent are generally portrayed as shopkeepers and motel owners.
• All Egyptian women are belly dancers.
• The Japanese are engineering geniuses.
• All South Koreans are gaming nerds.
• Irish are alcoholics.
• All Hispanics are illegal aliens.
• All Indians and Chinese are cheap and live a frugal life.
• All Latinos are on welfare.
• In the US all South Koreans are stereotyped as dry cleaners and all Mexicans as gardeners.