Stereotypes: Life, Advice and Rants

You guys reading this right now most certainly cannot say you have never used a stereotype to define people you met for the first time. Though we may not say it out loud, in our minds we have created a general view of the person from ideas we have been introduced to our whole lives. People often view stereotyping as a negative thing as it judges a 'book by its cover' whereas it can be helpful when creating a first opinion of someone when you know not a lot about them. I just wanted to investigate the differences between using stereotypes negatively and positively.

From a young age we are told about what we should do based on our gender, race, religion and many more. We are told boys play sports and work whereas girls cook and care for children. We are told black people are more prone to being criminals than white people. We are told Muslims are extremists not Christians. Though these seem past views when stereotyping was far more extreme they still relate to thoughts we have now. Stereotypes can effect a child immensely, boys feel like they can't show emotion or cry because its not 'manly' or shows them to be weak. Young girls are discouraged to do subjects such as science, math or engineering because they believe they aren't good enough for it. Racial stereotypes can make kids of a race minority perform poorly in school. These stereotypes shape our views, beliefs and life because we are taught that is what we should do.

Many however deify these stereotypes by breaking away and doing what they want to do for themselves. Kelly Smith is one of the most recognised names in English women's football and my personal idol. Though she announced her retirement from her international duties for the Lionesses, she holds the record goal tally for the England woman's team however even more impressive is she is ranked 4th in all time top goal scorers for England! She inspired so many girls, such as myself, to get their football boots on and break tradition that football is the 'mans game'. 

So if you want to play the sport not associated to your gender you go out there and you do it. You wear your hijab with pride because you are happy of what your religion does for you.To remove stereotypes from our lives we need to stand up and show we are more than the picture others have created in their mind the moment you say hello. Stereotypes lose their power when the world is found to be more complex than the stereotype suggests. When we learn that individuals do not fit the group stereotype, then it begins to fall apart.