SLOW-MO GR: Stereotypes and Discrimination, 9th-13th September

I think you made some really great points @Tiny_leaf!  I especially love what you said about the guy on the train and how media portrayals can be harmful.

Are stereotypes necessarily true? Can you think of a time where your expectations about a particular group of people were subverted?
No they aren't.
I have learned that some disabilities can be 'invisible', so it's important not to assume that someone doesn't have one if they look healthy.
Another thing I have learned is that people can have a variety of different views and practices, even within the same religion. Some kinds of a particular religion can be conservative, while others can be more liberal. They can also have vastly different interpretations of religious texts. Meeting people of other religions has definitely challenged my assumptions and views about them.
I had a friend at school who told me that they were bullied by people from my background and had some negative expectations about my background as a result. But we ended up being really good friends.

Why can stereotyping be so harmful?
One reason why stereotyping can be harmful is that people who are being stereotyped can start to believe it themselves. It can prevent people from reaching their full potential and reduce their motivation. Some research has shown that when females are told that females are bad at a particular skill, they underperform. But when they are told that males and females perform the skill equally well, females tend to perform it just as well as or even better than males. This effect is called stereotype threat and can also happen with people of different races or different socioeconomic groups.
Stereotypes can also affect people's mental health and quality of life. They can prevent people from expressing themselves and their emotions. For example, stereotypes can discourage men from talking about or showing how they feel.

Like @Tiny_leaf said, stereotypes can also lead to discrimination.

It's Tuesday time!

Here's the next question:
Why can stereotyping be so harmful?

Great discussions! 

Why can stereotyping be so harmful?

I think imposing stereotypes on people can be very limiting. Not only will the person imposing the stereotype on someone only see that person through a certain light and fail to acknowledge all the different aspects of that human being that make them wonderful, but the person being stereotyped may also begin to believe they are only able to accomplish certain things and limit themselves. 

Like @Tiny_leaf mentioned in their example, probably the best way to have your view about certain groups of people challenged is to come in contact with those people! Talk to people, listen, and learn more about their experiences. 

@recharging_introvert  and @WheresMySquishy that's such a good point about stereotyping impacting the way people view themselves, not just in terms of their self-esteem but also in what they believe they are capable of achieving!   I feel like the flipside is also true, with certain "positive" stereotypes being associated with certain groups (tbh i don't think ''positive" stereotypes really exist). So often you hear people say things like "so and so is good at xyz acitivty because they're insert adjective here". Which completely diminishes and ignores the amount of effort that that person must have put in to excell in that area, you know? People try to say that it's not a bad thing because it's a ''compliment', but I feel like it's also harmful. What do you guys think?

@Tiny_leaf I'm so sorry to hear that people have used stereotypes about your health against you 😞 It's so scary that disabled and mentally ill people can be trapped in situations where their voices don't get heard at all!  Like opinions only matter if and when other people say they do 😞 

@ecla34  I agree with you completely. I was once told by some employers I worked with for a short time that I must have got high marks in uni because I was autistic (despite the fact that I do not meet the criteria for a diagnosis or the tests that are commonly used to diagnose it, and they also barely knew me and had no way of proving whether or not I was actually autistic). In my experience, that stereotype is untrue because there is a lot of variation in academic ability amongst the autistic people I have encountered. It also ignored the huge amount of effort and hard work I went through to get those marks. I don't consider myself a smart person, but I have always been someone who studies hard. I would put so much effort into my work that I got repetitive strain injuries and would usually study for 45 hours a week. In my final year of uni, I only took one day off in the entire academic year and studied all throughout the holidays. I remember how happy I felt when I received my results because I actually had a really hard time throughout my final year and didn't expect to get such a high mark.The marks I got weren't anything unachievable by an average or neurotypical person. In fact, there were people in my cohort who got better marks than me. But saying that to me really put a dent in my confidence and made me question the way people saw me. It also made me feel like I should be less proud of and less happy with my achievements because they must have been 'easy' for me to obtain.

What are some things we can do to combat stereotypes in our everyday lives?
I agree with @Tiny_leaf. You can challenge someone in a non-confrontational way if you feel strongly about it and it is safe to do so.
Another way we can do to raise awareness of and combat stereotypes is through expressive mediums like films, campaigns, artwork and writing. You could make a creative work intended to challenge people's perceptions for example.
Having a role model from your particular group and celebrating them can also really help combat the negative effects of stereotypes. It could be someone you know, a fictional character, a historical figure or a celebrity.

Is it possible to accidentally stereotype or discriminate against people? If so, what are some things we can do to prevent ourselves from doing this?
I think this is possible because sometimes it can be hard to put ourselves in someone's head and judge whether or not they are offended by something we say or do. I also think that a lot of stereotypes are learned in childhood and automatically come to mind, such as through implicit associations.
It's easier to recall a stereotype than something that would challenge it because brains seem to like using 'mental shortcuts'. It can also be hard to change a stereotype we have come to know, especially if we haven't seen anyone who acts differently from the stereotype. Sometimes, it can also be difficult for us to realise whether something is true or whether it is a stereotype. 
Something we can do to prevent ourselves from doing this is carefully considering what we want to say before we say it. We could try taking the other person's perspective and imagining how they would feel about it.
We can also broaden our perspectives by meeting new people and educating ourselves about stereotypes. We could try thinking of people who do not fit the stereotype, or other possible explanations behind a person's behaviour that do not involve the use of stereotypes. Another thing that might help is to pay more attention to other aspects of a person rather than focusing on a stereotype. They could have a lot more in common with you than you initially realise and make a lot of positive contributions to society. But when we think of people as being 'lesser' than us or 'not like us', we tend to think of them in a stereotypical manner.

@ecla34 I think I know what you mean about "positive" stereotypes. 

A lot of people describe me as a "high functioning autistic". And that brings a whole heap of seemingly positive stereotypes as well as the negative ones. I'm expected to be super smart, have a brilliant memory, to be a bit "quirky" and maybe a bit particular but nothing more, and to generally have my s*** together.

And then people learn that I can barely tell the time, forgot almost everything that's non-special-interest related, am practically nocturnal, completely shut down when I get overwhelmed, etc etc. And they're almost.. angry. Because I'm not expected to have these issues, a lot of people assume that I'm being lazy, making things up or using my autism as an excuse.

What are some things we can do to combat stereotypes in our everyday lives?

Definitely.

It's really important though to first ask yourself "Am I able to do this?" and "Is it safe to do this?".

There are a few ways that this can be done as someone who gets stereotyped.

• One is to challenge people to think about what they are actually saying.
  • Them: "Oh, so you must be a high functioning person with autism!"                       Me: "Mm, not really. How about you? Are you a high or low functioning non-autistic person?"                                                                                                                    Them: "...oh."
  • Them: "If anyone calls you gay, let me know and I'll make sure they never do it again."                                                                                                                      Me: "You... know that I actually am gay, yeah?"                                                    Them: "...oh."
• Another is to be as open as you can about your differences.
  • When I'm out, I try not to hide my cane in any way. Seeing that guy on the train completely changed five-year-old me's attitude to disability. If I can help normalize the idea of disability, or teach a future disabled kid that they'll still have a life, I think that's pretty cool.
  • Same with my autistic behaviors where possible and safe. There's nothing shameful about being autistic, and I feel like being openly and proudly autistic is a really powerful way of showing that.
  • It's worth nothing that this isn't always safe though. I can talk fairly openly about my anxiety, but I have to be really careful when and where I mention my psychosis. 

Tagging a few more members who have been around this week and might be interested in this activity 🙂 

@lr8991 @CowboyBebop @drpenguin @Hozzles @scared01 @Phantom1105 @Tasi @MisoBear @Anonymous 

Please feel free to join in you guys! Would love to hear your thoughts!

Super good point @Tiny_leaf about making sure it's safe for you to do so before challenging people about their prejudices Especially when they're directed towards you
My go to is also to try to get people to think about what they're saying. Sometimes i'll just be pretty direct about it and tell someone that they're just stereotyping, but it's harder/easier in different scenarios. It's a bit trickier to have a civil and productive conversation in different situations, like at work. I feel like people are more likely to ignore what you have to say there too unfortunately or brush you off . 😞  Which is pretty frustrating

Here's the next round of questions for today! 😄

Is it possible to accidentally stereotype or discriminate against people? If so, what are some things we can do to prevent ourselves from doing this?

This is such an important question! It's really crucial to recognise when we're stereotyping people  (I think most people do at some stage or another in their life, even if they don't like to admit it, we're all human), because otherwise we can't learn and grow past it

What do you guys think?

Is it possible to accidentally stereotype or discriminate against people? 

Hmm... imagine the captain of a ship.

Chances are that unless you personally know (and thought of) a specific person who happens to be the captain of a ship, you're basing that image on a stereotype. 

(personally I think of someone who has a striking similarity to Captain Haddock )

Stereotypes are a very common thing. Like @WheresMySquishy said, brains just really like shortcuts.

I notice this a lot because some of my differences can be hard to notice at first.

For example, when I mention that I'm autistic, 90% of people start speaking more slowly and simply, or ignore me and start speaking more over me to my parents. (they also start sharing stories of their friend's cousin's grandma's house sitter's autistic kid, with their eyes full of pity)

In almost the exact opposite of what @WheresMySquishy described, the normal or slightly above average stuff I do becomes "amazing" and "inspiring". Rather than my skills and efforts being acknowledged for what they actually are, and what I've actually achieved, they get turned into a mini-narrative of me somehow "overcoming" or "making up for" my autism.

I get to watch this behavior change, and none of the people who do this are actually bad people, and none of them are trying to stereotype me. But they still do.

And I think it'd be pretty naive of me to assume that I'm somehow immune from doing the same thing to other people.

If so, what are some things we can do to prevent ourselves from doing this?

Basically, learn. Stereotypes are often just brains trying to fill in gaps in your knowledge. 

Listen to people with different views and experiences, (and respect that they know themselves better than you, and better than whatever a recent study says about them).

Watch shows like ABCs "You Can't Ask That". Read, watch and listen to #OwnVoices stuff.

And learn to identify stereotypes. Question where your assumptions and knowledge come from.

Happy Friday everyone!

Here are the final questions:

How can you help someone who is experiencing discrimination?
What avenues of support are available to you if you experience discrimination?

Loving this GR, this is something I am really passionate about, it is a major focus of my social and professional life. 

Here are my answers

Are stereotypes necessarily true? Can you think of a time where your expectations about a particular group of people were subverted? 

I think that this happens all the time, I can often assume things even though I try to be aware of any bias and check myself . I love when someone points that out to me

KNOWLEDGE IS EVERYTHING 

Why can stereotyping be so harmful? 

It means that we stop seeing people for who they are, all of the parts of them, it often can make people feel isolated and less worthy. I have experienced this first hand so I try to be really aware if I am doing this to someone else.

What are some things we can do to combat stereotypes in our everyday lives? 

I try to understand other peoples perspectives and if they aren't in the room and I can hear stereotyping I try to be their voice. It's not for everyone but I call people out and encourage a good discussion about how they are formed these stereotypes

Is it possible to accidentally stereotype or discriminate against people? If so, what are some things we can do to prevent ourselves from doing this?  

Yes for sure, like I said before, I find that this sometimes happens, the best thing I have found is being really curious to understand as much about other people, their experiences, beliefs etc, so that I don't fall into this trap. I also think to myself how would I feel if someone said that to me.

How can you help someone who is experiencing discrimination?
What avenues of support are available to you if you experience discrimination?  
I have supported a number of people who have experienced discrimination, myself included. I make sure they know that someone has their back and that I am there for whatever they need, if they need me to speak up for them, or to listen or to support them, I am there.

How can you help someone who is experiencing discrimination?
I've found that experiencing discrimination can really lower someone's confidence, so it can help to remind them of their worth. You could remind them that stereotypes don't define them as a person and talk about all of their positive traits. It's important to validate their experience and ask how they would want to handle it. If they want to take action, you could ask them if there is anything you could do to help.
I found this article on the ReachOut website really helpful in giving suggestions about how to support someone too.

What avenues of support are available to you if you experience discrimination?
In some states, there is an anti-discrimination board which can help mediate and try to resolve situations where you feel as though you've been discriminated against in areas of employment, services, education, accommodation and registered clubs.
You can also look at the Australian Human Rights Commission's website for information about your rights and possibly lodge a complaint if you experience discrimination in employment or online.
Cyberbullying and offensive online content can also be reported through the Office of the eSafety Commissioner.
If you are discriminated against at work, there might be a HR department which might be able to help resolve it.
Family and friends can also be good supports.

Hey @ecla34, this is a pretty great topic!

In my experience, yes, I think it's completely possible. 

People's general opinion around us (family, friends, school/work mates) can shape our opinion in something we aren't very experienced in and so, we believe the opinions of those people, while being able slightly skeptical. However, I think it's easy for others' opinions to get in the way of our own. As you said ecla, it's safe to assume that everyone does it at some point in their life. 

I think boundaries need to be set in one's mind however. If someone is stating something about someone else or a group of people how do you know if its fact or opinion? Stereotypes and of course discrimination can be very dangerous to other people. I think exposure to people/things you're not sure of can really affirm whether you think your opinions about someone is true or not. 

Anyway, that's all from me I think 🙂

Hello Everyone!

Sorry I'm late to this but I though I'd add a bit to the most recent question

Is it possible to accidentally stereotype or discriminate against people? If so, what are some things we can do to prevent ourselves from doing this?

It is definitely possible to accidentally stereotype or discriminate against people. I think it is important to being really open to that fact that you will likely get it wrong and listen to others' feedback. People don't want to be stereotypical or discriminate so it is easy to become defensive or angry if something you said is pointed out. However, (even though it can be really hard to do) admitting that you are wrong is usually the quickest way to do better. 

I honestly think if I someone is called out on being discriminate that the best response they could have is: "I'm sorry you are right, what do you think I could say instead/ do to be better next time?"

I try remind myself it is ok to make a mistake if you use it to learn and in the end treat people better (even though it can be so hard to admit you were accidentally discriminate in the first place)

Following on from what everyone's been discussing, it seems like a good time for today's question! 😄

What are some things we can do to combat stereotypes in our everyday lives?

I'd be really interested to hear what insight everyone has here