Introducing: The Stereotype Busters

Okay, folks, I had an idea.  It's going to be a bit unusual for this blog, but hey, it's my blog and I can say whatever I want.  So I'm gonna.

Now you have all been in this situation.  Somebody makes a reference.  Or starts talking about something as if you didn't know about it.  Or snarkily asks you a question because they know you DO know about it.

Stereotypes.  They're all over the place.  The ones I'm most acquainted with have conservative circle connections.  "Oh, you're homeschooled!  Do you have any friends?"  "You still live at home and don't have a REAL JOB? Are you just waiting around to get MARRIED?"  "You always wear skirts!  Are you Amish?"  And, if you have at least three siblings and are similar ages, "Your family's so big, you're just like the Duggars!"

Getting annoyed yet? :P



Let's see here... ooh, religious stereotypes!  Yeahhhhh.  Okay, c'mon, we all do the denomination-stereotype thing.  We even do it about ourselves.  But somehow, to hear other people doing it about us, especially when they're wrong, it's just... annoying.

Man-woman stereotypes.  My favorite. :P (That was a joke.)

(And of course, comedians thrive on these things, and it CAN be funny, but there comes a Point...)

Introverts and extroverts!  Both groups can really be very stereotyped.

Or there could be some topic you know a lot about, and somebody who assumes they know about it talks about it and you're just like "you have no idea who you're talking to."  Or they say something that just makes you go ARGHHHH.  "Jane Austen?!  Ew.  I'd read Nicholas Sparks first.  At least those are shorter."  (...yes, I've gotten that before.  From a guy, go figure. :P)

Often, our reaction is either to resolve never to speak to the person again, or gleefully rub our hands together with an OKAY BUDDY YOU ASKED FOR IT and then they'll hear more about the topic than they ever wanted to know.

And there are times where someone unintentionally says something a little offensive.  Some difficult thing you've gone through in life, and somebody either makes a joke or they talk about it really lightly, or they're just COMPLETELY WRONG and don't know what they're talking about.

With those things, you can fall into the trap way too easily yourself.  Because we get 'sold' stereotypes all the time, and if we aren't the people who are being stereotyped, well... we don't notice.  That thing might even have some negative significance to you or a loved one later, and then you'll be like "I can't BELIEVE I went along with everybody and thought that way about it."

So, I'm suggesting a blog series. It will be both humorous and educational.  We all have our areas of Expertise, don't we?  Well, this is your chance to jump in and defend it.  Straighten everybody out.

I'll start with a post on my own blog... so watch for that soon.  But I encourage you all to do the same.  You could even do more than one if you want!  Just please put "The Stereotype Busters: ______(subject)______" as your post title, and link back to this page where I will collect the links that are submitted to me and you can find them all in this one handy place. :)  (As long as your post is no more than PG rated. By today's standards. G-rated by yesterdecade's standards, haha.)

You can write these posts however long you like, but I'm going to stop adding the links after three months.  So, I'll accept them through the end of September, 2015.

Update: And now you can enjoy some!

"Jane Austen (Part I)" - Regency Delight ~Jane Austen, etc.~
"Older Sisters" - Wonderland Creek
"Biblical Creationists" - A Portrait of Grace

Note: If you would like to write a stereotype-busting blog post but don't have a blog of your own, you can talk to me about doing a guest post. :)