We have all heard the “dumb blonde reference,” right?
The ‘dumb blonde’ is one of the many popular stereotypes in our culture. This one specifically refers to people with a lighter shade of hair who are lacking in the intelligence department.
“I don’t like the dumb blonde stereotype because it is not fair and hurts my feelings,” Heidi Halgren said.
While this may apply to some, it does not apply to all. So, when dealing with appearance stereotypes, remember not to judge before talking and getting to know the person.
Another common stereotype is that people who have tattoos are seen as intimidating and unapproachable. When you see someone walking with a giant sleeve tattoo, a part of you is slightly intimidated, right?
The same goes for people with lots of piercings and dark or unnaturally colored hair. These components of someone’s looks may give people the idea that they are sketchy, emo, or even scary.
People love labeling others. It almost helps us understand the people around us, even if we may be way off about someone.
For example, something that keeps people grounded is that teachers know everything, pastors do not sin, and doctors do not make mistakes.
Stereotypes are so challenging to overcome because sometimes they can be confirmed.
“I think that stereotypes are unnecessary and that people get a lot of hate and judgment from stereotypes,” Morgan Dickerson said.
Another example of a common stereotype is when someone wears glasses, they appear smart and are a nerd.
Which is true but not always.
It can also go the opposite way, with people thinking that when a girl has the ‘girl next door’ look, she is just sweet and almost just a basic girl.
Another one is the cheerleader. What I mean by this is that these are the girls who are always popular and the rulers of the school.
This is overly fantasized in movies. This is also similar to the jock stereotype because that one says that guys who play sports such as football are dumb and only good for sports.
These two stereotypes go together because, in movies, they often end up as a couple. This is another stereotype where the cheerleader and quarterback are in a relationship or always end up together.
Yet, in the real world, this is hardly the case. A cheerleader is just another person on a team, and the quarterback is just a position on the field.
These stereotypes relate to the saying never judge a book by its cover. This is because stereotypes of someone’s appearance go against what that is saying.
Just because someone may look a certain way or have a specific title does not mean that should define them.
