Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

About an area, a person, whatever.

Or when did you see it happen?

Share your stories of enlightenment.



I have to think of one for me, but I witnessed one. In college we did The Laramie Project, and one of the cast members I think had auditioned without knowing what the play was about or any of the Matthew Shepard story. We did the play. We had really mixed reactions from audiences. We had most people in tears and really energized to make a change, etc. but we had some people who were really freaked out by it, who didn't even clap. Some people felt it was "disgusting" and let us know how they felt about homosexuality, etc. It was really disheartening sometimes.

Every night we had a talkback with the audience and they shared their reactions and we shared our stories. One night the cast member I mentioned told us and the audience how before this he was really homophobic, and it was all in his culture and background of how he had been raised, etc. and when he started the play he almost quit because of the subject matter, but through doing the play he realized that people are just people, and gay people are the same as him, and everyone deserves rights. I was sitting next to him on stage and I think I gave him a big hug. I was so happy. That moment made having done the play completely worthwhile.

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

honestly when i met my husband.

I always though that puertoricans were these loud, lazy and really just pot heads but I allowed myself a chance to meet him and get to know him and his family and really realize they were nothing like that.

if anything they were the opposite, hardworking, educated, own a home, his sister graduated from Columbia with a magna cum laude and is pursuing a masters.

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

I have to add the same thing can be said about us Colombians, that we are all drug lords, drug traffickers, etc but it's just one tiny thing of the whole population.

You have to learn to be open minded and want to learn about what you don't know, be educated.

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

When I was in college. well it was not a stereotype per se, more of a cultural difference that led to a horrible situation. I worked with someone, who was actually one step below me. He was from what is considered in the US to be a middle eastern country by the bulk of the population (even though it is not), and he had a very VERY hard time taking orders from a woman. I chalked it up to his culture, and then again when I worked at my first job out of college the exact same thing happened with someone from the same area, etc. So I would not call it a stereotype, just a cultural difference that made things uncomfortable.

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

I have one.

When I was working at Sears, I was working with a girl who spoke in "ebonics." I mean she completely did not conjugate her verbs or speak any hint of Standard American English. So I really assumed she was stupid. As i got to know her, I found out she was actually very intelligent, and very good at her job and she went on to become a manager at another store. Once I started talking to her and heard what she was saying instead of how she was saying it, I found that she was really intelligent and good to talk to. With that job, I guess because of the area it was in, the prevailing culture was to speak different brands of incorrect english, but all of the girls I worked with were really smart and really nice.

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

I stereotyped Brooklyn. I thought it was all a tough area filled with crime. But then I met my husband and learned that a majority of Brooklyn is really nice and we now live here. I live in Dyker Heights and I love it!!

But I understand people having preconceived ideas because the city in general got a bad rap for a while, especially in the 80's.

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

I can honestly say that I try not to stereotype. Being that I live in such a diverse area, I see and meet all kinds of people. I judge the character, not the ethnicity or sexual preference.

My parents on the other hand are a little more from the old school and do use stereotypes. DH and I are nervous about that with our children

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

My mother is Cuban. My late grandma basically called my mother a s*ic when my dad brought her home. She used to tell him to go "eat his rice and beans." They are Italian and thought negatively of all types of Spanish people. My mom overcame it and was never mean to her, but kept her distance. Mind you, my mother's parents came from Cuba but were part of the previous regime and came here with plenty of money and class.

I honestly don't find myself to stereotype anyone. I work at a diversity magazine, have a sister who is disabled, etc. I guess I just give people their fair shot. And if they do something or act a certain way, it's the person, not the race or culture.

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

ohhhh sooooo many

when i went to Columbia university (not going into that sincei did on another thread)

When i starting working at the job i have now, to which i am a minority

I have been able to learn sooooooooo much about the Indian, Egyptian, AA and Hatian cultures

it is amazing

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

It doesn't have to be racial, etc.

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

I also try not to stereo type on appearance, because it is done to me a lot. People see my tattoos (or when my hair was blue) and assumes I was either a dirt-bag or that I am stupid. I used to get so flamed when people would try to call me on it & act more intelligently than they thought I was. I'd love to shoot them down & get them into a conversation that way way beyond what they thought they could have with me. So irritating to have to do all that work for a little respect though

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

I try to treat people the way I want my DD to be treated (she is half Indian). With kindness, compassion, and sincerity.

I can only hope that the world is kinder to her then it was to my DH.

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

Non-racial one:

Went to a wedding recently (DH's friends) and met his friend and his friend's date - as the only two couples NOT part of the wedding party, I knew we were going to be forced to hang out all night.

His friend's date was a tall, tan, skinny blonde wearing a very skin tight outfit and very high heels and I remember saying to DH on the car ride from the church to the reception "What the hell am I going to talk to HER about??"

But it turns out she was smart and funny and sarcastic and we had a blast.

I totally stereotyped her as a boring dumb blonde without getting to know her.

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

Mine's non-racial too. I was in a small class for my major in college and when I first met a couple of the girls (they were in a sorority) I immediately didn't like them. Since I got to know them I love them so much and they're two great friends of mine!

Re: Spinoff: When did you stereotype and change your mind?

just a general statement about a character flaw that I have...

I tend to judge people too fast. I need to learn to give people a chance