Introduction
Every day, I encounter several stereotypes that may sound harmless at first but are actually offensive because of the fact that it points out to negative generalizations about particular classifications of people. Most of the stereotypes that I encounter everyday pertain to gender differences. Examples include the following: (1) women belong to the kitchen, (2) men should be strong and (3) women are weak. While I understand that there have been movements seeking to counter those stereotypes, most people I encounter daily still believe, even uphold, the ideals set by those remarks. Hence, in this study I will seek to give an analysis of the foregoing stereotypes in order to dispute those further.
The Nature of the Stereotype
A common theme prevailing in the stereotypes I have mentioned is gender differences. Within society, it is a heavily embedded concept, mainly because of the fact that men and women – both being biologically different in the reproductive sense, have assigned roles based on how they go through with their daily activities. Eagly and Steffen have included an example in that wise, in which they said that “if perceivers consistently observe women caring for children, they are likely to believe that characteristics thought to be necessary for child careare typical of women” (1984). Verily, such assertion has its primary roots on observation. Members of a particular group who engage in the same activities uncannily gain associative labels based on their activities.
The three stereotypes in question stem from observations concocted and maintained by society. Noticeable in those stereotypes is the fact that it has its origins in the household – a place where there is an espousal of the traditional roles of the mother and father. In contemporary times, liberal movements seeking to move away from those stereotypes have emerged. The fight to defy those stereotypes has grown stronger over time as people further suffer from the prejudices those bring. Such takes off from the argument that people become aggressive after they experience prejudice, alongside consequent behavioral changes (Kemick, 2012).
Arguments Used To Uphold Stereotypes
The following are arguments of the stereotypes, as contextualized in the central theme of traditional household norms. (1) Women “belong to the kitchen” because their main task is to take care of their households, including their children. (2) Men have to be strong because they have the responsibility of earning and maintaining the finances of their households. (3) Women are weak because, because of men having to be “strong”, they have the socially perceived less-daunting task of taking care of their households while the men are out working to earn income.
Consequently, those who do not abide to the stereotypes in question normally find themselves being discriminated by traditional adherents. In other words, nonconformists tend to incur the impression that they are dysfunctional deviants for the mere fact that they do not adhere to tradition. As a result, the negative effects brought by such impression could lead them to become highly aggressive in their response to such traditions, which directs them to socially disturbing behavior. Lack of tolerance towards the differences of the nonconformists pushes them further to a hostile path (Kemick, 2012). On the other hand, there are people who simply reject prejudices and counteract, with high consciousness, in a non-prejudiced manner (Devine, 1989).
Mistakes in the Argument
The stereotypes I have laid out have compelling mistakes rooting from their subjectivity. Firstly, gender roles in themselves are only social constructs, not biologically based limitations. Males and females have the ability to act beyond traditional roles; such are merely observations in the first place institutionalized through social embeddedness. In other words, being biologically male or female does not limit one within a set of socially conceived values. Secondly, the presence of dissent against such traditional norms of gender roles is, in itself, a dispute against the universality of such norms. At the same time, not all settings observe values that are consonant to those stereotypes. Those stereotypes, as in all others, are not empirically based facts applicable as a standard in all settings. Its subjectivity disables it from being an arbitrary point of analysis and criticism. Lastly, those stereotypes are not true because both men and women have held various roles different from those traditional roles. There are men who could stay at home to maintain the household and there are women who can go to work to earn income. Their gender does not serve as an impediment to do all those roles, yet the most that they get in return is prejudice rooted in traditional norms. Prejudicial comments may be responses to nonconformist scenarios, but are not necessary points of analysis that could disprove such differences. It is in this light where this assertion – “it is only society which says that one is right or wrong” applies. In the case of the stereotypes in question, deviation thereof has not introduced adverse outcomes, but it attracts unfounded prejudice.
References
Devine, P. (1989). Stereotypes and prejudice: Their automatic and controlled components. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56(1), 5-18.
Eagly, A. & Steffen, V. (1984). Gender stereotypes stem from the distribution of women and men into social roles. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46(4), 735-754.
Kemick, A. (2010, August 12). Stereotyping has lasting negative impact. US News. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/science/articles/2010/08/12/stereotyping-has-lasting-negative-impact
