Stereotypes
We've seen Topical Talkers share stereotypes in several Hub discussions.
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"Men are better mechanics."
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"Women are more caring."
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"Boys are better at maths."
Stereotypes are bad because you might think they are facts rather than biased opinions. If you hear or see the same stereotypes a lot, you might start to believe them.
Sometimes they make people lower their expectations of themselves or live within imaginary boundaries of what they can and can’t do. For example, as a girl, you might start to believe you're not as good as maths – just because you're a girl. Or as a boy, you might think you're better at maths – just because you're a boy. In reality, gender is not something that makes you good or bad at maths at all!
How might our actions sometimes reinforce stereotypes?
And how should people challenge stereotypes? For example, what could you say or do to stop the spread of stereotypes?
Can you spot a stereotype in a Hub comment? How could you reply?
Comments (90)
I personally believe gender stereotypes have developed over decades. My generation is slowly fighting against the stereotypes. When I speak of stereotypes I mean things like women being portrayed weakly and submissive in movies or TV-shows or men being forced to act emotionless meaning they’re not supposed to cry or similar things.
I think we should fight these stereotypes by not reinforcing them and accepting other types of people like strong opinionated women or rather emotional men.
In general, we should be more accepting and open towards changes.
I agree because Gender stereotypes have been prevalent since ancient times, and it is not fair. For instance, bike advertisements only feature men, and they do not employ women because they are considered weak and emotional. We should not believe in these stereotypes and work towards breaking free from them."
I agree with you because in my country, it is a new thing to see a woman riding a bike. There was a time I saw a woman riding a motorbike but she quickly went down when she realized that almost everyone is starring at her. I think that it is time to fight against gender stereotypes. Some women are not outspoken because they think that whenever they suggests an idea, their ideas are considered to weak. Women should stand for themselves and get some support from men.
Hello optimistic_meteor!!!
I personally agree with you because majority of people who ride bikes are men you hardly find a woman riding a bike or driving a public car in my own country. I strongly agree with this particular point you've made 'WOMEN SHOULD STAND FOR THEMSELVES AND GET SOME SUPPORT FROM MEN'. Why i say this is because women have been staying under the shadow of men. What i mean by this is women rely to much on men and that is very bad because men end up disappointing them and they do not have a say on that. Anything you desire as long as you work towards achieving it you get. Women do not always have to be on the sidelines.
THANK _YOU!!!
I agree with your opinion because it always happen and it is not fair.Because people think that women are not good in a lot of things.Also if things like this keeps going on women will not be represented in most of the things or activities.Just because they think that women are weak. It is just been gender basis to women which is not fair,mother's are caring but some are strong.
I agree with you because there is a lot a gender stereotypes in my country such as women should be in the kitchen while men should pay bills, associates some occupations such as childcare providers and nurses with women and pilots and engineers with men. We should not believe this stereotypes and work hard to stop them.
I strongly disagree with you, I say this because women also engage in advertisement that men do. For example, I was watching something on my phone and when an advert popped up , it was about phoenix a new app I saw a lady was driving a bike and promoting her job, I understand where you are coming from but now that gender inequality has been addressed more women are being encouraged to engage in jobs that men are well known for.
I agree with you because as people begin to see a particular stereotype over and over again they will begin to believe it. The problem with stereotypes is that they often come as facts. I think that stereotypes shouldn't be seen as facts for example" boys are better at math" and the stereotype "girls are better cooks" those stereotype are definitely not true because the person that wrote this stereotype hasn't seen everyone in the world to test who is better . I think that people shouldn't write stereotypes in the fist place because they do not know who would read it in the future.
I agree with you highspirited_mulberry, because I have seen these stereotypes in my life and it is not fair for everyone who is affected by it. Just like the examples you have shown it shows how they are affected and it should be fought against and not be accepted.
I agree with this because people have human rights and people have choices and can be whoever they want to be
I agree with because people have rights and make their choices by following the law of the country and there can whoever there can be. But in other hand, Women should have a right in the country more than men.
Hello,
I totally concur with your valid and compelling perspective and I also believe that stereotypes have started to develop rapidly over the last few decades. Our generation has made several steps into their elimination, but this discriminations are yet to be vanished.
People mustn't trigger stereotypes and they mustn't believe that they are facts when in reality they are just biased opinions. Besides everyone can do anything because of their charisma not because the stereotypes say so.
I agree because some people generally do not accept people who are different especially when it comes to stereotypes. There is a widespread belief that boys are stronger than girls. but this is not true because when it comes to lower body strength, girls and boys are matched but i cannot say the same for upper body strength. Nevertheless, with training, this stereotype can be diminished. Stereotypes also affect the society at large because the more women believe stereotypes, the les their potential is shown for example, it has been found that females tend to perform better on tests of verbal abilities and processing speed and females also have more endurance. events like ultra-trail running, males may complete them faster but females are considerably less tired by the end. in essence, I feel that stereotypes are wrong and we should make efforts to reduce stereotypes by all means.
I agree that gender stereotypes are bad. They have been reinforced the years that we have come to believe and see them as the truth and these are beginning to shape generation yet unborn. There must be deliberate effort in breaking the system. People must be accepted for who they are and the way the express themselves must be respected.
I have some of my classmates, girls who are very good with numbers, so i wonder why people think boys are good with Mathematics while girls are not.
I think, it is very unfair to classify people based on their gender.
I agree with you. This has been going on for a long while now and I believe that it is still going on in some places. We really need to fight against the stereotype because if can affect lots of people in many different ways and can be very difficult for them.
We have instances like girls are better than boys in cooking because they are girls and it is part of their duties but as we have it today, it is a man that is better in cooking world wide.
In conclusion, we should not believe in this instead give people the opportunity to prove themselves .
Hi,highsprited_mulberry
I completely agree with you because stereotypes have been around for decades and are developing in many ways and is still developing .I think we should fight these stereotypes like you said by reinforcing them and i also i feel stereotypings are gradually expanding, and so we should also look towards some changes THANK YOU 🌸💐🌹💮🏵
I agree with you, the various forms of media who display women as submissive or weak and men as emotionless are the reason many still believe in stereotypes and gender biases. Its is very important that we accept everyone be it an emotional man or an opiniated women. Women should be accepted in the so called 'male roles' such as a woman confidently leading a project and a man on the team expressing his concerns with genuine emotion.
I absolutely agree with your persective and I also believe that discriminations should be eliminated. People should be positive towards someone different and they should accept everyone without a single exception. In my view, I think that there are stereotypes and in other things like sports where women are thought to be worse than men, depite this statement being false, like being the leader of a country and in the context of work. This has to be changed urgently.
I think stereotypes are a big problem in this generations because people sometimes mistake stereotypes as the reality which causes problems in society.Sometimes people degrade themselves or think they are below other people because of a certain stereotype.Such as:'Men are better than women','pink is for girl and blue is for boys' or 'white people are better than black people'.In the media and tv shows women are mostly portrayed as the weak caring role or an all rounder who can take care of her family and work life perfectly.Also girls in school are expected to wear skirts and have long hair.Men are usually expected to do the more of the laborious
and heavy duty work,while women are supposed to do the gentle jobs like nursing,carer or be a housewife.
I completely agree, stereotypes have become more a part of our everyday society which will lead us to face many problems in both the near and far future. These short and indirect comments lead to people stereotyping without them even knowing.
The way we can fix this is by calling people out when they say these things, so they then won't say it again in the future. This will hopefully leave room, so we can try and demolish these unfair stereotypes.
I agree with your opinion because this has created lots of chaos and discouraged great minds into believing that certain things are meant for others or other genders like women do not see themselves as capable doing things like certain jobs which are male dominated like politics, pilots etc. Some of the stereotypes only increase gender inequality which has created lots of problems in the society by believing in these fake and unreasonable believes in our society. Also it will cause riot and corruption in our society.
THANK YOU.
I agree with you on calling out people who unconsciously think one gender is better than the other, especially women. We need to deliberately challenge this school of taught because it has formed the mindset of the coming generation and this is not good for the development of the girl-child in particular who grows up believing her place is in the kitchen.
A president of one African country alluded that the place of the wife is in the kitchen and this drew a lot of media attention. Someone with such a mindset would not make gender-balanced policies and people like that should not be allowed to lead.
By whatever mean, this stereotype has to be challenged.
I totally agree. In most of the movies and shows, women are not given the main role, mostly they work as side actors, and they are portrayed as someone kind. They are also shown to build a perfect environment for the family and for each person in the family.
Hi charismatic heart.
I agree with your opinion. it is true that stereotypes are becoming a big problem in the society and this stereotypes are mostly on gender. You are right, sometimes people classify things and jobs based on gender for example in my country people think only men can drive a motorcycle and women are the ones who cook, clean, and do other chores in the house or only women should work in the nursery school because they believe that women are better at taking care of children of that age group. But it is not supposed to be like that. If we allow stereotypes in our world we will have lot of sayings and believes that aren't true which will discourage people from giving their best to a particular thing because of the beliefs of people around them.
We should not allow stereotypes continue but fight against it.
Stereotypes have been part of society for centuries and because of them people think they are less than . Personally, I think stereotypes only do harm specially in this context . Society often think that women can not do physical jobs or get payed as much and think that men can not do some jobs like nursing or carer . The new generation is pushing off the stereotypes and the misogynistic views against women but there's still some progress to be made .
Can you tell me how you think people should challenge such stereotypes?
Since the beginning of time a lot of people have supported various stereotypes, many generations have been born and grew up with these stereotypes, they have even existed for so long some people even begin to believe they are facts, but it is high time we made a change. We can oppose these stereotypes when one or more of us begins to stand up, prove these stereotypes wrong by rising up to the challenge and performing the tasks most people say are meant for certain genders or certain people. As said by Edward Irving Koch former mayor of New York City '' Stereotypes lose their power when the world is found to be more complex than the stereotype would suggest. When we learn that individuals do not fit the group stereotype, then it begins to fall apart.'' When we rise up to the challenge and begin to show the rest of the world that we are more than the groups we have been placed into and we are more than the stereotypes that have been placed in society then little by little the stereotypes will begin to fall apart.
I think the best way to challenge such stereotypes is to prove them wrong. Nobody, absolutely nobody's life should be bound by stereotypes. I feel that it is very wrong for a society to limit people's achievement based merely on assumption and belief.
To challenge stereotypes, one has to stand up to them. We have to show that we are more than what people limit us to, and that we can achieve whatever we want to.
In my country, for example, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. She was the first Nigerian woman to drive a car, in 1951. At that time, the roles of women in the society were mostly confined to domestic and caretaking duties. The other, more prominent roles in society were for men. For her to take up driving, something that no Nigerian woman had ever done, she must have been bold. She was tired of the stereotype, so she challenged it. She set the ball rolling, and now, in Nigeria, women everywhere are driving. The most important thing is to believe. There is nothing to fear but fear itself.
Hello Eva,
Happy International Women's Day.
In my opinion I think both men and women should challenge such stereotype by improving to society that men and women can be anything they what be. Looking stereotypes at face and saying, "No I can be anything", can also help both women and men express themselves. In my opinion I think both men and women should ignore the comments and do what they love, this can help encourage young boy and girls of our generations they can be endless possibilities if you believe. I think there should more activities and
TV shows that can help show young boys that "Yes, I be a dancer just like Matthew Culter and showing young girls that "Yes I be a famous footballer just like Lauren James. In my opinion I think stereotypes is just a barrier blocking both men and women from becoming what they want to be.
There are ways stereotypes can be challenged;
1. Equal opportunity during interview sessions rather than deciding that one gander is better than the other.
2. Examination in school is already a challenge to checking stereotypes since all ganders write the same examination in schools.
3. I think another way to solve stereotypes is having everyone is entitled to every any occupation they want.
I think in conclusion, schools have major role to play in challenging stereotypes by deliberately speaking up about equality in life and find a way to weave it into the fabric of their curriculum.
I think that if you want to stop the spread of stereotypes, you should start spreading the word. Why? Because the more people that spread awareness, the more chance of others not being stereotypical about things . However, not all stereotypes are bad. I am saying this because sometimes we fulfil those stereotypes. For example, there's stereotypes that kids from a certain country do better than kids from another.
I feel a stereotype like that may force those children into following them blindly without actually wanting it, it could lead to emotional problems among them and aside from that the children who are considered as less may feel deeply saddened that just because someone is from a different country than them automatically makes them smarter. It is the level of education and not the country of birth that guides some ones mind, John Dewey explains how saying "as the process of the reconstruction of experience, giving it a more socialized value through the medium of increased individual efficiency".
I totally agree because, some people don't care about stereotypes and they sometimes just take the action as that is something normal to do, so if people start spreading the word with facts and emotions, I think it will be a success to stop stereotypes. I agree that not all stereotypes are negative, since we complete some of those stereotypes.
Hi fiery_ lute.
I disagree with you in the sense that, you mentioned that some of these stereotypes are positive, however, the case is that most of them are not true. We cannot continue spreading false stereotypes around and the most shocking thing is that although it might be positive, it can lead to someone's disadvantage which is not equally fair so I think that for someone to fabricate a stereotype, proper research should be done to approve it or better still, stereotypes can just be banned. Lastly, I think that it will take a long time before real stereotypes gets to everyone and it will obviously lead to someone's disadvantage so then it should just be forgotten about to ensure equality between genders, professions, etc.
Thank you!
I think that sometimes, we reinforce stereotypes in an unconcious way , as for example , when we think about a little girl or we see a little girl in the street, we associate her with dolls, the colour pink, kitchen , houses, etc. The same happens when we see a little boy or we think about one , we instantly associate him with action figures, colour blue, sports, dangerous activities or processions, etc.
Something we could do to stop the spread of stereotypes is showing through media and other types of communications that this is a wrong idea and stereotypes are just a way to identify a large group of people or objets in a general way, eventhough even if you are involved in a group of people, everyone there is different, not only in a physical but also in the way of thinking, feeling, and also their personalities change depending on the person. Not everyone thinks as you, or like the same things as you and that is perfect, because if everyone thinks the same things as you , others perspectives of live will not be asked and it is necessary to have different opinions.
If I spot a stereotype in a Hub comment, I would tell that person the phrase or sentence where it has identified something as an stereotype and I would ask why it has written that and not other thing or why it has identified one gender with that and not the other gender.
Stereotype is something that we grow up with it's something that have been constantly injected inside us. Children's are like unshaped clay and it's your duty as a member of the society or as parents to shape them however you dare to. But the problem is that we live in a society where we assume everything . Where free individuals but think for a moment are we really free , Because we are always expected to do certain jobs, like as a girl you should help your mom clean the house, play with dolls, talk in a soothing voice, be shy and cute etc. And as a boy you are expected to play with cars help your dad in the garage go for running playing Soccer and more. Whenever this particular preference we have because of our gender deviates even slightly from these specific stereotypes, we become weirdos. That is the problem. Yes biologically men and women are different and these particular stereotypes does sometimes come from that biological Bond but it doesn't mean that you cannot be different and you should be Limited . Stereotype is a huge problem it does not only keeps us limited but it also Affects our self esteem. So I think it's important to break the stereotypes and be aware of your preference and be open minded
Hello,
Stereotypes have existed for many centuries.
I think that the younger generations are constantly trying to decrease and eventually stop these stereoypes, which of course is a good thing. A very characteristic example of a stereotype is that women are weaker or not as smart and capable as men, or that a slimmer man is inferior to a more fitted one. However, it has been proved that these "statements" are incorrect, and the only thing left to do is some people to actually accept this. I strong believe that when an offensive comment based of a stereotype is made, all of us should try to take action.
In conclusion, it is important we start accepting people for who they are and it is crucial that the next generations will continue fighting in order to put an end to stereotypes.
This is so right! Women are always seen to be lower whereas men are always superior. From the beginning it has always been like this and mindsets have adapted to this. It has been unfair from the beginning and we need to make a change.
I agree with jubilant harmonica because women are always seen more lower while men are always seem superior. In my country women are always seen as inferior and men are always seen as superior. there is a big gap of inequality between men and women. And in Nigeria women are always seen as housewives and there is even jobs for only men like: politics, banking, driving, carpentry, scientists etc. while but women do jobs like: baking, cooking and even seen to be full time house wives. We need to break this and encourage women to participate fully in all the jobs that are male dominated because I feel some women have great potentials to do better than some male if given the opportunity
THANK YOU!
i do agree these stereotypes are tradition and believes that has been past down from generations but i think in our modern day world gender inequality is the basic foundation for stereotypes often in different countries two or one of the genders may be facing inequality and the different gender think they are better than the other one then liken the situation to stereotypes the other gender thinks that they are better than the other, in different countries the different genders may be denied of there rights mainly because of the stereotypes. in politics women do not participate in politics for any tittle mainly because of the stereotypes and gender inequality when someone interferes or denies someone of their rights than that persons right is meant to be taken away but in the society of today no course of action or law is taken.
I think that stereotype somethimg that is inside us thet we need to change,but is very difgicult because we have this very interiorized son we do It without thinking at all.With the pass of the time this have gone better but there still a lot of people that do no control their stereotypes
I completely agree! Stereotypes are bad because we are exposed to the same repetitive stereotypes 24/7! As a result, our mind starts warping itself around these statements, believing them to be facts.
A common cause of depression is continuous exposure to depressing statements, because our mind then releases self-depreciating hormones. So to say, our mind is VERY powerful! it can mould reality according to whatever it commences believing in...
Continuous exposure to stereotypes is likely to convince us that we're not good enough indeed! And once that happens, we'll actually stop being good enough, because our mind has decided to shape it's future that way...
It's no surprise therefore that society affects a lot of us.
An ambitious, ruthless woman will soften, because she believes she is obliged to be caring, cuz "Women are caring".
Are these stereotypes really harmful? YES! Because they are widespread. The masses believe them and it's hard not to trust majority... They make us forget who we really are. We change ourselves to match the societal definitions...
"Every human is wrong. The one who is right, is the one who is less wrong" Let's tone it down...If we can't get rid of these stereotypes, let's reduce our belief in them. What we say, affects someone else, maybe negatively. Let's stop believing in gender stereotypes little by little. And maybe one day, we'll end up formulating the Eutopia of complete equality...
I think that proving stereotypes wrong is a good way to prove the people that created them wrong. There is no good stereotype for anybody. To stop the spread of several stereotypes people should do whatever they please to with their life to be unique from anyone.
Hi placid night,
I strongly agree with you because I think to stop the spread of several stereotypes people should not say what that feel ,think and belief about ,if not it would be like they are using their own knowledge to give other people what the think and feel about stereotypes. I also agree with you that stereotypes wrong is a good way to prove the people that created them wrong which means the person that made stereotypes should be proved wrong by doing this; for instance, a typical African stereotype is that 'women are the weaker vessels and their place is in the kitchen and home'. Most African women have done so well for themselves and have taken up even jobs that are male dominated and they some even do it way better than their male counterparts. In my country Nigeria, we have Ngozi Okonjwela who defied all odds and is not the DG of WTU.
THANK YOU!!!
there is no real way to stop stereotypes for good there will always be some person trying to spread fake rumors around
I think that stereotypes have been around for a very long time, but now this generation is trying to decrease the amount of stereotypes there is, for an example in a movie a woman is 'dumb' because she is blonde and that's a stereotype.
That's a great comment! How do you think we can rid society of stereotypes? What other ones can you think of?
I personally think stereotypes have become a really big problem and we need to fix it men usually stereotype woman for example they say they are stronger , or pink is for girls and blue is for boys , and another one that we hear a lot is " men are better than woman " and a lot of people think as woman in the media or tv shows that they portrayed as a weak role and doesn't care or that they are to lazy or that they have to stay at home and take care of their children" for their perfect life ". Woman also get a lot of hate for wearing to much makeup or less makeup or that they need to dress appropriate or that they also need to wear inappropriate clothes and that makes woman really confused and sometimes they even surfer from mental health problems .
Thank you.
Great comment! Can you think of any other stereotypes?
The society we live in has made stereotyping seem normal, these standards or conventional ideas have been with us for so long we even unconsciously begin to deem them fit. An example of these common stereotypes that the society has adopted is that women are permitted to show emotion, but men should not show their emotions because it is a sign of weakness. As shocking as it might seem in some cultures it is even a taboo for men to cry but this is totally unfair and biased because everyone whether male or female has emotions, and they deserve to express their emotions whenever they deem it fit. Crying doesn't mean you are weak, neither does it counter one's masculinity. It is okay for everyone to cry whether male or female. Also, if we go according to the stereotype that men should not express emotion, how exactly will we know when they are going through emotional problems they will just continue to die in silence and no one will know just because of some standards that have been placed by society
Yes, these are one of the main stereotypes that have been around for the longest time. It was always women being "too much" or not "enough". Women have always been a stay at home and would be considered housewives. Women are usually the ones doing the "easy work" while men do the "harder work".
This is totally true because, a lot of people think that women are really inadequate. An instance could be seen in my country, lots of women have been subjected to being in the second place even at the job front. take for instance in the security environment, a man will be given the front line because they believe that her physical strength is inadequate. It is really not fair because everyone has the right to do and be whoever the want and who said a woman must be at the second place and not at the frontline?
I know for certain that women are hard workers and can excel anywhere they find their selves! women are good people and they should be allowed to show that the can be thrive at odder jobs that men are doing, women should go out and work not just to be housewives.
THANK YOU!
There are multiple stereotypes because of our own actions. The stereotypes we make are based on what we have seen in our own daily lives. Most people know that what they are about to say is stereotypical, but say it anyways. What others and myself can do is not to think how we see things and how others would feel when we say that.
I personally believe that when dealing with a problem such as stereotypes, we should face it head-on because stereotypes are nothing but baseless assumptions about both gender and especially in Ghana, although people are trying to have an open-mind, they still believe in many stereotype such as 'girls cant play sports', 'boys cant cook ' and many more and I think that if we want to stop the spread of stereotypes, we should engage in activities that are 'meant for boys' as females and vice versa because a lot of talent has been killed because of stereotypes. I also think that if we want to be well respected and recognized countries, then we have to abolish any form of stereotypes or bullying based on gender.
I agree, if we want to bring stereotypes to an end, then we should take a stand, and let others know, that there stereotypes can't affect us or present generation, it's only affecting them, because they are constantly repeating and discouraging themselves. I strongly feel, that if people understand the significance of women is equal as men, they can build a peaceful society. I don't understand why people think that women are ought to look after their families, if it is a work of women then it is of men too!
Sometimes, our actions can unintentionally support stereotypes by making assumptions about people based on their race, gender, or other characteristics. To combat stereotypes, people should actively question and challenge these assumptions. For instance, one could speak up when hearing a stereotype or educate others about the harm stereotypes can cause. If you notice a stereotype in a comment, it is important to address it respectfully and provide factual information to challenge those beliefs. By taking these steps, we can help break down stereotypes and promote a more inclusive and understanding society.
I just don't know but, the way the issues has been going on since about discrimination of women, women being weaker, women seen as the weaker gender because they are very emotional, they react differently to situation than the men. So, it is like this thought went around to everybody like a spirit, this went to people's head and created a mentality in their mind. So, therefore, this mentality were created in the minds of men, this led to thinking their are more stronger than their women. So, it was reinforced due to the past of people, their action created a very bad impact on the future people. This was another factor that sometimes reinforce stereotypes. So, with that, the solution is to educate the people, teachers and guardians should educate the future leaders to have better impact in the future.
I also believe that stereotype is the root cause of gender inequality as many people believe that specific jobs are only meant for a particular gender, which is not true. In my locality people find it strange when they see a woman riding a motorcycle all Doing jobs that are typically associated with men.
However if my family my parents are trying to fight against such stereotypes. Although I am a boy I help with household chores like washing dishes, cleaning the house, cooking and doing laundry. Whenever guests see us doing these chores they tell us to stop saying that it is a woman's job. But my parents always remind them that anyone can do any job regardless of their gender.
So we as people need to stop stereotype right from home and then it will extend to the outside society.
Well said.
Gender inequality is often perpetuated by stereotypes that suggest certain jobs are reserved for specific genders, a notion that is incorrect. In my community, there is surprise when women engage in activities like motorcycle riding or occupations traditionally associated with men. My family is actively combatting these stereotypes. Despite being male, I assist with household tasks such as washing dishes, cleaning, cooking, and laundry. Guests sometimes comment that these chores are typically women's duties, but my parents challenge this belief by emphasizing that any individual can perform any task, irrespective of gender. It is imperative for us to eradicate stereotypes starting from within our homes, leading to broader societal change.
In my belief, gender stereotypes exist from the ancient times, and were evolving over the years. I do think that those stereotypes can be refered as a part of racism. By saying for example that "men are better than driving" or "women are better at cooking" we are underestimating the opposite gender, which is unethical. It is better to say that anyone can get any skill they fight for, than compare the two genders just from a skill average that doesn't really matter in life. Generally, it's better to not criticize someones skill from their gender.
In my opinion I strongly disagree to stereotypes, everybody is unique his/her own ways whether in sports or academics. If women want to boxers they can be boxer or if men want be dancers they can be dancers , don't listen to what other think of you and don't let them plant this mindset that men should businesses men and women should be housewives, be your own person and do what love. Here in Ghana many men and women going through stereotypes a lot, men always have in their mind that have to businessmen, police officers, soldiers or any our job that require them to show that they domineering, but job like dancing , singing and jobs that allows them to express their talent is forbidden, same for women , they are not allowed to be boxers because they think women are weak, or not allowed to run a mining businesses because people think women don't have the capability and skills. This unfair and it strongly affects the next generation, in my opinion I think both men/women should ignore these stereotypes , if doing these jobs and make up happy , then look stereotype at the face and say "NO I can be anything". The stereotype on the Hub comment that say "Boys are better in math", I disagree because girls can also be better in math and some boys can come for lesson and explanation from a girls, in my opinion I think stereotypes is barrier to many men and women who want to follow there dreams, and only way to stop stereotypes is follow your dreams and ingoring the criticisms.
I agree because there are many taleneted people who are out there in the world who are forced back because they dont fit the stereotype that society has given to them, there are many boys out there who want to become singers or dancers but they know that if they do they wont fit the stereotype and might end up getting bullied for it. Same thing goes for girls so many girls want to do things that dont fit their stereotype but they can't because the world won't accept them for who they are, but from they way I see it and how the world is developing, sterotypes are slowly going down and the world is coming to accept people for who they are now.
Hello zestful_artic_fox, I agree with you because everyone could do anything they want to do even if they put their time and dedication into it even with the harsh stereotypes around whenever it is with a women or men they are still waiting around.
Stereotypes oftentimes have an impact on people's choice of career.This issue could be challenged by a more neutralized language when talking about certain jobs and at the same time encourage all genders to make their choice according to their interests and wishes for their own future,instead of following the stereotypes of society.
I think the characters of gender are sometimes being restricted by language, when saying a person is "girly" or "boyish". But what supposes to be “boyish”? Which kind of act should be identified as girly? We can say a man is careful and emotional, we can say a woman is strong and rough, and terms of words shouldn’t limit female’s or male’s feature.
I would also say colors are also one of the aspects which reinforce gender stereotypes. For instance, girls’ color should be pink and boys’ color should be blue. However, this situation is improving in our generation, “International Day of Pink” is the best evidence. This is an event which support a boy who wore pink shit was bullied, since then everyone would wear pink at that day, in order to speak up for them. Even though it is an anti-bullying event, but still this reflect from the side, that people are being more aware of gender stereotypical topics and are trying to fight against it.
Hello
I think stereotypes are a big problem because many people of my age still think that women are better at taking care of little kids, and that men are the only ones who can teach math or build cars. But I think that little by little we are improving and there is more gender equallity, because stereotypes are disappearing.
I think that for stopping stereotypes, TV programmes for kids could help by introducing new characters such us woman being mechanics, men being babysitters, or girls playing with trucks and boys dancing ballet.
I solemnly disagree with stereotypes; being stereotyped is just a way to overlook a person based on their gender, race, tribe, etc. Yes, being stereotyped is not only between genders. In my country, Ghana, there is a stereotype that claims that girls should know how to cook and manage a house, and they shouldn't take their education seriously as they are likely to be housewives, while boys, on the other hand, should study hard and find a job as they will be the faces of the earth. This is just a stereotype between genders. In Ghana, stereotypes have been used in various cultural settings and permeate many aspects of everyday life. Racial or ethnic stereotypes are often used to describe or differentiate between groups of people in Ghana. For example, a common stereotype is that Hausas, who are one of the largest ethnic groups in Ghana and are predominantly Muslim, are lazy, and all they do is eat Waakye, a popular Ghanaian dish, and sleep during the day. Another popular stereotype is that people from the Ashanti region, the most populous region in Ghana, are greedy. Such stereotypes have not only defined how these groups of people are perceived but have also shaped how they interact with each other in Ghana, not to mention the many households in my country that use this stereotype training in raising their kids. One thing I'd like to see in my country is equality for all and an appreciation of citizens, tribes, and races in my country; hence, I disagree with all the stereotypes on the hub. Girls can become math teachers if they want; most boys I know are very caring, and women in my school help fix the school buses when they break down. So, there's no shame in appreciating the progress or success of both genders. It doesn't have to be one.
For me I believe that gender stereotypes are getting better over time for example according to phys.org A new study finds that gender stereotypes are as strong today as they were 30 years ago, and that people are even more likely now to believe that men avoid "traditional" female roles. This research is out today in Psychology of Women Quarterly (PWQ).
And if people keep saying them the are going to make some people believe them
I believe people should challenge stereotypes by Identifying their own stereotypes, educate themselves about diversity, and engage with diverse people and perspectives.
I agree with you but the issue sometimes is that people don't realise that they are buying into a stereotype so are not able to educate themselves because they don't realise they need to learn. Stereotypes must be challenged but there are many people who grew up being told something, which they will now see as the truth rather than a stereotype. For example, if you were raised by a family who believed men and women had certain roles, you may not realise that this is not right and may find it hard to be challenged on this. I think people our age now are much better at challenging certain stereotypes like gender inequality, but still have some way to go with other stereotypes that may be linked to sexuality or culture. I think this needs to be tackled from all angles - educations, social media, the media, government, parents etc... This can make sure that, over time, many of the stereotypes are not passed on and then, as you said, people can start to engage with diverse people and perspectives.
I totally agree that we hear different stereotypes almost everyday and most of us might have considered these stereotypes as genuine facts. These stereotypes are really dangerous for our society and therefore we should try to avoid these as well as try to break them, the perfect solution for which is to challenge these stereotypes by scientific facts. For example by showing the scientific results that mathematics has nothing to do with gender we can break this stereotype.
I think our actions might sometimes reinforce stereotypes by making programs in schools based on gender, for example some schools may host some extra activities like clubs or programs for example cooking or mechanics and restrict it to only one gender like for the cooking they may say it is only for girls and the mechanics is only for boys even though if a boy wants to learn how to cook or a girl wants to know how to fix cars, and this can influence children who are in the clubs by making them believe in the stereotype that women are better at cooking and men are better at mechanics since they don’t see any other gender in each club.
I think people can challenge stereotypes by asking for proof that a specific gender is better at something than another gender or by challenging the people by giving examples of people who excel in the activity were they say a specific gender is better at it than the opposite gender.
It is very clear that gender stereotypes have always existed. But just because they have been around for a long time, doesn't make it right. The belief that germs didn't exist was around for quite a while but that doesn't mean germs don't exist. Gender stereotypes happen to everyone many boys are affected by stereotypes like a well known phrase "boys don't cry" and girls with the phrase "women belong in the kitchen". Statements like these tell children that they aren't allowed to show emotion or that they have to do certain things just because of the way they were born. This is harmful and can change children's outlook on life as they grow older crushing their dreams thinking they are made for something or trying to hide there emotions on fear of being bullied or being told their being over emotional and boys and girls both suffer with these issues girls also have to deal with trying not to be overemotional and boys also feel they can't take a certain career. Most of the time when they are picked on for things like this it's because of it her children's parents teaching their children these stereotypes and when they see something different that their gaurdians didn't teach them about it confuses them so they try to get rid of it which often results in bullying or children being left out. No child is born sexist. No child is born knowing stereotypes. This is an issue caused by adults, people who are supposed to be trusted. We need people to know exactly why this is happening. I'm glad things like this are being posted more and more often on social media, it spreads awareness which is exactly what we need to get people to sort themselves out for their child's sake.
In my own understanding I believe that stereotypes have been in existence since immemorial and of course it is not good which means it needs to be stopped.
Now I will like to say that one of the ways by which these stereotype concerning gender inequality will be stopped is through the combined effort of both individuals, communities and at large the government.
Individuals has a vital role to play in terms of stopping the spread of this stereotype by telling themselves the truth which is believing that women should be given equal rights just as men in the society.
Communities have a crucial role to play in this by allowing women view their opinions in the society when they come together or gather to deliberate on a particular topic, why I said is because most at times women’s are not been valued when it comes to participating in gathering or for them to share their opinions.
And finally, government can help to stop this by allowing women participate in politics. For example when a male president is been elected, he is supposed to elect women as their ministers, this is to balance the equation and to it will help to reduce the rate of stereotype concerning gender inequality.
I will like to conclude by saying that in other to put an end to this gender inequality it requires the effort of both individuals, communities and finally the government at large.
THANK YOU…..
Stereotypes are a plague on our society and they still remain imminent on the tongues of people from all edges and ages of the Earth. Whether it be for gender, race or religion, they all disgust me. It's becoming more a problem due to social media platforms using racism and sexism as "dark humour" and it's increasingly becoming more of a problem for the youth. I don't need to list all these stereotypes, but if you've heard what comes out of people's mouthes and what they post on their social medias, you'd understand. But for those who aren't aware, here are some examples. Dark humour stereotypes surrounding 'black people' with the use of racial slurs and degrading "jokes." Also, people using "dark humour" about Muslims and the 9/11 attack. A final example of this "humour of stereotypes" is women 'only belonging in the kitchen' and more. The list could go on, but my advice to you all is not to joke and mock people on stereotypes and avoid racist and sexist humour because it isn't a joke. We need to break free from these stereotypes (this is coming from someone who faces these "jokes" daily) because it's no longer okay. It never was. And if these stereotypes are what the youth are going to grow up finding funny and saying to others, then I worry for the fate of our nations.
How do you think we can all challenge these stereotypes?