Zeroing the Stereotypes
By Esther Arikanki
There has always been this part of us that makes us automatically classify people into specific personality or temperament types just by mere sight or roaming discusses and discussions or even preconceived perspectives about them. “Every TikTok blogger or influencer is an extrovert”, “Oh, she is with an headphone and a writing book, she’s definitely a shy girl”. “She always on shorts and top, she’s a tomboy”. We often seem to jump into conclusions way too fast before getting better insights on people and why they behave the way they do, we tend to judge so quick! And the worse part of it is when it becomes generalized.
Overtime, the feminine gender has been typically stereotyped as warm, less competent and agentic when compared to their opposing counterfeits and gender. Well, this may have been arguably true then, but now, it seems as though the reverse has now become the case.
Unpopular opinions surrounding these stereotypes are frequently overlooked, and this, a reason for them to be shed more light on.
It is a commonly held belief that introverted and shy girls gravitate towards platforms like Wattpad, Substack, Medium and Spotify, where they can express themselves in solitude without the pressure of immediate social interactions. And in contrast, extroverts are often seen as more comfortable in spaces like Facebooks, Instagram, and X [formerly twitter] where social engagements thrive and they are often found in the comment sections of these platforms, either engaging in hot discussion or violently letting out their perspectives.
Another unpopular stereotype is that a higher percentage of models are fashion inclined. This particular opinion can be really discouraging, especially for people wanting to explore the fashion industry whilst not having any goal of being a fashion model. Imagine a friend who you have known to have zero taste in fashion walks up to you to tell you that she wants to be a model……your exact reaction, I know right! How will she start with matching her outfits? One misconception you will make is to think she wants to be a runway model or a fashion icon. The modelling industry encompasses a wide range of specialties which include editorial, runway, plus size and fitness modelling. And probably she does not to delve into the aspect you had in mind. While this may be true, it is also arguably not true. Not all models aspire to be fashion icons.
An often-voiced opinion is that every girl with a good internet access should have snapchat on her phone. Why? Because of its ephemeral contents and offers like filters, stickers, and gravitating lenses, enabling for an expression of creativity. A kind which seems a bit more feminine friendly and so, why they would get drawn to it. While this may resonate with some, not everyone feels the need to be on every platform, and that is perfectly valid! Some may just prefer to stick to YouTube alone…and if you fit into this group, it is perfectly okay.
Another stereotype, well a bit more popular, is that all introverts prefer isolation and extroverts, vice versa. While introverts may enjoy closeness or solitude, it is a misconception that they prefer complete isolation. As a matter of fact, many introverts value meaningful connection and loudness but find themselves not willing to engage in discussions that will propel these connections due to being shy or phlegmatic. Some may even prefer social interactions in smaller groups. This also goes for extroversion. It encompasses a spectrum of social preferences, and so, not all extroverts prefer interactions in large groups.
Stereotypes often shape our perceptive, and sometimes we just need to challenge this preconceived notion because they may just not be right. You’ve got any lingering stereotype? don’t hesitate to challenge it.
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