Teenage Labels

Picture this; Charlotte is cool, popular, pretty. She’s funny, kind and amazing with people. She loves sport and shopping and she’s your classic popular girl. Sophie is a little bit strange, she spends a lot of time completely silent on the outside but animated and noisy within. She loves books and writing fanfiction, she sucks at sport and her fashion sense is a little quirky. In any teen novel, Charlotte is the nasty mean girl who will eventually get her comeuppance and Sophie is the protagonist who will probably fall in love with the popular sporty guy (who is obviously secretly a great guy.) and she’ll become cool and popular and liked by all, leaving behind all her realism.

Pop culture gives us one of two views; the first, that Charlotte is cool and the one we should aspire to be, Sophie is boring and will never amount to anything anyway, and the second that popular girl =bitchy and that Charlotte is shallow and false while Sophie is dorky and relatable. We only get one view never the possibility that both girls are good people and that we can learn from both. Nerdy guys are either our protagonist (such as in “Life in Outer Space” by Melissa Keil) or, (and this is more common), a side character, sometimes shown to be kind and/or smart but never with a love interest or portrayed as attractive.

So why do we do this? Why do we categorize people and disregard evidence that doesn’t fit with the way they’re meant to behave? We have formed stereotypes for thousands of years, it provides an evolutionary advantage in that if we know that a certain type of animal (or person) behaves in a certain way we can be on guard around them. Friendship groups in a school setting are usually quite solid by the age of 11 and while heavy emphasis on “popularity” is most common in middle school and lower high school, most situations in which there are cliques will have some sort of social and popularity hierarchy.

Knowing why we stereotype doesn’t tell us why we associate things like “nerdiness” with being a loser and “popularity” with unkindness, when in reality, some studies have shown it’s not the kids at the top of the pecking order that do most of the bullying, and that many people have identified popular people as being popular because they’re kind and good with people. We also seem to have this idea in our heads that you can belong to one group and one group only! Apparently popular people can’t love Doctor Who and write fanfiction, and if you have glasses and love books you are destined to remain at the bottom. I personally know this to be untrue, as of of the most popular girls at my old school secretly loved to geek out over fanfiction with me.

So how can we leave these stereotypes behind? Well, it’s going to be hard to do that entirely. Teenagers are always going to label each other no matter how much we preach. In fact, some people are proud of their labels, proud of having something to connect them to others. But we need to remember that labels are a perception, not a perfect description. No label can Entirely sum up an individual and nor should we expect them to. Labels can be useful, they can be a badge of honor. But a badge shouldn't define a person and neither should any label.




"Why Nerds Are Unpopular." Why Nerds Are Unpopular. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2015. <http://www.paulgraham.com/nerds.html> Kennedy-Moore, Eileen. "Popular Kids." Psychology Today. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2015. <https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/growing-friendships/201312/popular-kids>.

THE EFFECTS OF BODY SHAMING AND BODY OBJECTIFICATION

A girl with short hair walks down the corridor. As she turns into her class she hears an insult being called out behind her. “Gay,” a group of girls shout.

Today, body shaming has become a regular occurrence. Body shaming and sexualising people regardless of gender is a very dangerous thing. 5/7 of students of both genders in 8SMd have felt the need at some point in their lives to change themselves due to others opinions about their bodies.

There are many generalisations about body shaming. Often, people feel as though body shaming only happens to girls which is a stereotype in itself. It can happen to anyone, owing to the stereotype of the ‘perfect look’ as propagated by social media.

After carrying out a survey I learnt that 10 out of 14 people in 8SMd, are insecure about so many different parts of their bodies and just how they look. An anonymous source in this class has said, “ There have been multiple occasions where I have wanted to change what I have looked like to try and fit in with different people in different schools.” This evidence is significant because it shows that objectification does not just happen to adults and it does not just happen on social media. This represents that it can happen in school, at home and that people of all ages are affected by body shaming.

Girls and boys go to unreasonable extents to look like models or celebrities. “In the United States alone 1.5% of women / 4.7 million women and 0.5% of men / 1.5 million men are threatened by Bulimia, an eating disorder which is usually diagnosed in young adults.” says the Mirror-Mirror.org website. It has been diagnosed in people as young as 6 years old and can be diagnosed in adults too. The idea of a perfect body has unfortunately become a mindset deeply entrenched in society. This gets reflected in ads, social media, TV shows and movies. And sadly, this is the thinking that has seeped into children as young as 6 years old who in the process can become Bulimic.

Dress codes can be a massive problematic contribution to objectification. In August, 2015 Stephanie Hughes of Versailles, Kentucky was sent home from school for exposing too much of her collarbone. “Woodford County High School and the principal have been enforcing a dress code where girls can not show even their collar bones because it may distract their male classmates,” wrote Stacie Dunn, Stephanie’s Mum, on Facebook.Because school is a very influential place, dress codes have started to make girls and boys more conscious of what they are wearing and what they look like. This has made it much more visible that objectification can come from anywhere, even your teachers and fellow classmates.

Rhea Goyal, an 8th grade student has shared an experience saying that, “Because I am quite skinny people usually view me as somebody who cannot play sports because I do not look like I have a lot of muscle mass.” Unfortunately this is a stereotype that is placed on a lot of people due to their body image. Because of magazines and TV, we view athletes as big built and strong, yet because the stereotypes have so much power over us we never tend to overlook that materialistic mindset.

Media has played a pivotal role in creating unreal images of ideal beauty. For a long time now the ideal body for a women has been an hourglass figure. In order to be beautiful you have to have translucent skin and be extremely skinny to the point where it usually is impossible to have a figure like that. For a man it is all about a macho image and a six-pack body. As media evolved and social media became popular, people started to try and get justification about their looks through likes and comments on their pictures. Throughout this evolution we just started getting more and more materialistic about the subject of beauty.

A girl with short hair walks past a slightly overweight girl in the corridor and calls out, “Lose some weight!”

Words are powerful. Stereotypes are powerful. The sooner we stop body and objectification, the sooner we will start to realise that people are more than just bodies. As BeautyRedefined.org rightfully says, “See more. Be more.”

By: Rhea Shrivastava

Don't Listen to the Stereo

From a young age, we are introduced to a world full of stereotypes. Specifically, gender. The media, our parents, our religion and our society are just some of the aspects that influence our beliefs and in a way, have overtime created gender stereotypes. They can sometimes teach us unideal ways of living. Stereotypes categorise humans into groups that tell us what we are meant act or be like, which in result can make many feel untrue to themselves or like outcasts.

Her life has been set out for her. Finish school, get married, have kids and support the breadwinner of the family.

Noshin is terrified as she overhears her mother on the phone with her grandmother, sobbing one night, saying that her life has been ruined by the men in their family. Her grandmother’s whole life consisted of assisting men and she could hardly be her own person. She didn’t want to live like that anymore. Noshin cries to herself thinking about how unfair her grandmothers life was. “In my country, Bangladesh, women are treated more as maids” said Noshin Saiyaara, 14. “The life of a girl; clean the house, cook and take care of the kids.” This makes it clear that to this day, there are still unequal and stereotypical behaviour in society. This could be because of her religion and that they believe it's right. But is it? Should this be socially acceptable in a society where more and more cultures have grown to be more open about the decisions that women make to become more of equals and not maids?

Noshin told our journalist that she wants change. Her siblings and herself are determined to change the traditions of her family to benefit their lives for the better. “I want to change the routines of my family. I’m not going to sit around and do nothing, I want to work and contribute to my family.” Her experience has empowered her to change their ways, to be who she aspires to be in the future.

From a variety of people that took part in a survey on their thoughts about where stereotypes originated, the most commonly agreed opinion, with more than 50% of the surveyed people, is that stereotypes have been an ongoing tradition for a very long time. For instance, during medieval times there were little to no women as knights and it was the men's job to be chivalrous towards the women. Women were thought to be more delicate so their jobs were often to do housework and cook and maintain the family.

In modern day, we have come to a point where stereotypes have been advertised so much, that they have started to infect more and more of the human species into thinking that they might be true. Isabella Duncan, a student from an 8th grade english class thinks that “Overtime, stereotypes have been reinforced by people with fixed mindsets.” In many ways this is true. Through the people in the media and our society, the message that women and men are different and not equals is very clear statement. You may not realise it, but everyday the commercials you see can have traces of gender stereotypically and it’s hard to realise it because they’re just so common.

Many ideas are reinforced through television to a specific audience. To do this, commercials have to make it relatable to the audience hence, showing things a girl and/or boy would do. In the case study “GENDER STEREOTYPES IN MASS MEDIA” by Malgorzata Wolska, she states “More and more commercials are directed to children. They indicate ‘the proper place’ in the society for girls and boys. Girls are shown as babysitters nursing dolls or cleaning house with a pink cleaning kit, whereas boys do sports or play computer games.” It mentions that most commercials main target audience is children, so the concept of gender stereotypically is already being engraved into their heads. In the future, when they understand how it impacts their identity, they will have a ‘template’ to follow.

Everyone can be affected because of gender stereotypes in many ways. Having to be a certain way and being surrounded by people who support gender stereotypes, can sometimes result in peer pressure and bullying. Life as a middle schooler can be hard, considering that there are lots of pressures with fitting in with others. A middle school student who wished to remain anonymous, tells their story “I am a dancer and a singer and that's what I want to do when I'm older. Ever since I was young, I've been bullied for doing what I like to do. I started hanging out with girls because some of them had the same interests in dance as me or they just understood. I think boys are more disturbed with the stereotype issue and they find it harder to welcome misfits, than girls do.” What is revealed here is that sometimes, people can get peer pressured if they don’t follow a stereotype because it's unfamiliar to others, so the action and person is slightly alienated.

What's strange, is that it's harder for a boy to enjoy something that usually a girl would like, than the other way around, because they usually get picked on by other boys who are more manly. Rhea Goyal’s theory for this is that “In the past, boys have generally been viewed as stronger, smarter etc. while girls were viewed as inferior to boys, so now society says it’s okay for a girl to move up to a boy’s standard, but not okay for boys to move down to a girl’s standard.” It suggests that by being a boy and doing things a girl would do, it would make you less of a man, and that you are admitting to being weak.

Lately there has been less discrimination towards people that happen to go against the grain of a stereotype, but it still happens. If you are someone that is in this situation, know that you are not alone and that there are always going to be people to help and are going through something similar. Its great to be yourself, to be unique. Don’t let stereotypes and hateful comments from others hold back what you desire to be or do. “There shouldn't be any barriers or force, because people's choices are their own,” said Noshin Saiyaara.

Let's imagine that all these concepts have been compiled and put into a stereo. Some of the music could be great, and you like to listen to it, but sometimes there is going to be bad music. People might have different tastes to you, but you don’t need to change your taste to please others.

The Impacts of Stereotypes on Children and Society

A girl walks down the hallway with a basketball under her arm and a smile on her face. Suddenly, a group of boys run past knocking the ball away. “Girls can’t play sports.” They laugh as the ball bounces down the hall and the happiness drains out of her. She, along with many others is a victim of stereotypes. Stereotypes are everywhere, and affect the way people view the world around them. From a young age it is imprinted on children that because you are one way, you must do a certain thing or because you believe something, you are the same as everyone else who believes something similar. The people most often caught in the crosshairs of stereotypes, are children. Stereotypes form the way children think about themselves; being so young they are are very impressionable, so if someone tells them something, it sticks.

One parent of a child at UWCSEA East has had an experience with one of the many common stereotypes. “I wanted to buy a construction house building kit for my daughter, but they only ones I could find were in the boys section and I worried that I was buying something not appropriate for girls.” She says. This illustrates a common misconception. In every store most baby clothes are coloured in the way associated with that specific gender. There are stereotypical toys for each gender as well. In the “girls toys section” there are dolls, cooking sets and beauty kits as if preparing them for a life staying home, cooking and taking care of children. In the “boys toys section” there are soldiers, cars and fake guns as if telling them to be violent is the only way to be “manly”. These stereotypes affect children from a very young age and influence gender roles later in life. The children can think it isn’t right to like something from the other gender, and if they do like it then they can feel out of place amongst their friends. This may force them to create a version of themselves that isn’t true to who they actually are.

Noshin Saiyaara is a grade 8 student at UWCSEA East whose life is full of stereotypes. “Most of the stereotypes I face are from my own family, saying that because I am a girl, my life should basically be about school, marriage and becoming a housewife.” She says. This reveals that gender roles are also deeply buried in society’s views. Children can even experience them from their own family. In traditional families it is believed that the role of a woman is to take care of her husband and children, while the man goes out and earns money for the family. In some families this model may work, however girls are capable more than just housework. It is stereotyped that women are somehow incapable of providing their own source of income and need to be taken care of by the man. This stereotype affects young girls growing up to think that they don’t have to try because they’ll get a husband who can take care of them. This thinking can lead to children not living up to their capabilities and not trying their very best.

“Some people assume because I am a Muslim, I am a terrorist.” Noshin continues. Sadly, this is a reality for many people. The growing terrorism in the middle east is causing effects on Muslims all around the world. Many people view them as a threat because of the stereotypes created by a few extremists. In the airports, despite the selections of passengers for further screening being “completely random”, the ones chosen are usually Muslims or Arab. This is due to racial profiling and stereotypes. Everyone is entitled to their religion, and that religion doesn’t determine whether a person has good or bad intentions. It doesn’t just apply for muslims, every religion has a specific look that society feels all members should have. “People think that just because my nose is slightly more arched than most, it must mean I am Jewish.” Said Lia Shoshani, another 8th grade student. Despite the fact that she actually is Jewish, the way she looks should not be what gives it away. Religions cross international borders, and are followed by people all over the world. So to say that all members should look a certain way is discriminating against the majority. This stereotype can lead to children feeling like the world doesn’t accept their religion or that they don’t belong in their religion. That can cause conflicting ideals in a young person who is still trying to find their place in the world.

“People tell me that Indians are smart, so they ask: why aren't you?” Said one student at UWCSEA East when asked if she ever felt subjected to stereotypes. Many have thought that all Asians are smart, and all Asians want to become doctors or lawyers. However many Asians are actually better at other things. Maybe they’re good at sports, maybe their good at art, it depends on the individual. Your race in no way determines your strengths and weaknesses. It is related to your heritage, and although that may influence your interests, every person is an individual and is entitled to their own opinions. These stereotypes can make a child feel as if they have a responsibility to fulfill them. Instead of pursuing their passion, children may change their mind to make the stereotypes true. Just like religion, one stereotype for a racial group is not capable of accurately defining all it’s members.

“I sometimes judge sporty people and think they’re are not exactly good at academics.” The student continues. It is often assumed that someone can only be good at one thing. If you’re good at academics you’re a nerd and not good at sport, if you’re good at sport you’re a jock and dumb. In actual fact, someone’s skills are not only focused on one thing, and hobbies cannot define someone’s personality. Human brains are remarkable, and capable of specialising in more than one area. These generally untrue stereotypes are common in movies and televison, rule the school hallways and can negatively influence the way students view each other from a young age.

Although stereotypes are a huge problem, there are ways in which we can prevent ourselves from using them to judge others. Despite the fact that some may actually be true or rooted in some form of truth, don’t let your first impression of someone get in the way of actually getting to know someone; they may be totally different to how they initially appear. Second, don’t resort to a single story and assume it applies to everyone, it most likely won’t. Finally, be aware of stereotypes the next time you use them to judge someone. Stereotyping is often subconscious and we don’t even realise we’ve done it until the moment has passed.

Stereotypes have surround every topic, and have always been around. However the impacts they are having on today’s society are worsening. “I always feel like a have a sort of responsibility towards the stereotype.” Says Francesca Marshall, another student at UWCSEA East. “I think in a lot of cases people use stereotypes to form opinions on others. They just assume because you’re Asian you’re smart, or because you’re Muslim you’re dangerous. I don’t think people should assume that just because of your race or religion, you’re something you’re not. Everyone is unique and different, stereotypes don't define who you are.”

by Isabella Duncan