Stereotypes

“They are incomplete. They make one story become the only story “They are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.” -  Chimamanda Adichie  An oversimplified idea or image about a certain group of people that is widely accepted by others. Generalizations about a person or group of persons – ethnic groups, social classes, religious groups, gender groups, economic groups… Examples: All Americans have guns All Canadians speak French

Why Stereotype? A major way in which we simplify our social world Limited contact/lack of exposure to other groups Justification for differences between groups Evolve out of fear or misunderstanding of groups Assumptions and social categorization

Types of Stereotypes Stereotypes can be positive, negative, or neutral Canadians are good at hockey Canadians are wimps who apologize about everything Canadians have maple syrup with every meal Implicit: unconscious attribution of particular qualities to a member of a certain social group Explicit: intentional, conscious thoughts and beliefs about a certain social group Regardless of type, generalizations are made about a group that may not be true to an individual

Dangers of Stereotypes May be offensive to individuals Enforces harmful power dynamics (ie. Perpetuating colonization vs. aiding decolonization) Propagate implicit biases Lead to prejudice and discrimination

Combat Stereotypes Take the implicit bias test yourself.  See what biases based on gender, sexuality, age, and race you hold. Admit that you have those biases  Keep those biases in mind and take steps to correct them: Slow down and recognize where they might be coming from. Expose yourself to different experiences. Travel and education go a long way toward mitigating biases. Raise awareness of biases. Have conversations with friends and encourage steps to fight against bias and stereotypes.