August Writing Challenge - Day 2 - Stereotype
"Asians are smarter than everyone else." "All men cheat." "Women can't drive." We've all heard certain stereotypes in our lives, right? These things that seem to define us and others "informing" us of people who are from other cultures and ethnicities. Of course, we know logically that stereotypes don't apply to everyone, but we can't seem to help but accept them, right? When the only Vietnamese girl in a predominantly Black high school is the valedictorian at graduation, you can't help but shrug your shoulders as if to say "what did you expect?" Or when you agree to have an "open relationship" because you know that he won't be faithful to you, then he's not necessarily cheating on you, right? How about when you cut somebody off on a busy highway and feel a crazy sense of triumph because if your chauvinist best friend had been in the car he would have had to eat his words? Okay, okay I'm getting off track.
Because I've grown up in such a diverse environment, stereotypes have always been there, but we have also had opportunities to explore them. So we can make fun of a stereotype without actually feeling like we were limited by it. Most of us have found that a lot of stereotypes have been founded on some grain of truth, but getting to know the individual really eradicates the seriousness behind it and becomes to us what it always has been - a joke. So the next time you see an Oriental valedictorian, be just as pleasantly surprised as you would anyone else, because it simply means that they've worked hard. Make a mental note that it'll be you or a loved one next time. And when you meet someone that you really like, hold him up to a standard that you deserve. If he doesn't agree, he's not worth your time anyway. And when you cut somebody off - well you really should try not to cut people off - but write it off as something you had to do because you have places to go and things to do. No silent gloating, though! We can't afford to sacrifice our own self-respect or the respect of others because of something that is not important or even true. Life is too short and we are way too smart for that.
**Shouts to my homegirl Natelege and her August Writing Challenge. If you are interested, you should definitely check her page out at The Scene Serene! Get your write on!!
Because I've grown up in such a diverse environment, stereotypes have always been there, but we have also had opportunities to explore them. So we can make fun of a stereotype without actually feeling like we were limited by it. Most of us have found that a lot of stereotypes have been founded on some grain of truth, but getting to know the individual really eradicates the seriousness behind it and becomes to us what it always has been - a joke. So the next time you see an Oriental valedictorian, be just as pleasantly surprised as you would anyone else, because it simply means that they've worked hard. Make a mental note that it'll be you or a loved one next time. And when you meet someone that you really like, hold him up to a standard that you deserve. If he doesn't agree, he's not worth your time anyway. And when you cut somebody off - well you really should try not to cut people off - but write it off as something you had to do because you have places to go and things to do. No silent gloating, though! We can't afford to sacrifice our own self-respect or the respect of others because of something that is not important or even true. Life is too short and we are way too smart for that.
**Shouts to my homegirl Natelege and her August Writing Challenge. If you are interested, you should definitely check her page out at The Scene Serene! Get your write on!!
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