IndexStereotypesRaceOrientationGenderSexualHow the media perpetuates stereotypesPresentation of normsLack of representationConclusionI grew up in a small rural town in North Carolina. I was 9 years old before I ever saw a person who wasn't white, much less had the opportunity to interact with a person of color. Growing up, I was really subjected to indoctrination of prejudice from pretty much everyone around me. However, I have always been open-minded and pride myself on being a critical thinker; therefore, I really did not subscribe to the concepts that were imposed on me regarding people of other races. In my adult life, I have worked to become more cultured and educated about diversity and the people with whom I share my world. In my late teens I had some very profound revelations, or so it seemed at the time. I had never met a person of a different race who embodied any of the stereotypes I had been exposed to growing up; and I was pretty sure no one I knew had either. Then, in my twenties, I began to form the opinion that our media was responsible for perpetuating these ideas. Over the course of my studies I believe I have gained much more knowledge that not only supports this theory, but also states that our media is responsible for the perpetuation of all stereotypes, not just those involving race. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayStereotypesRaceStereotypes regarding race are often the most obvious. This is because they are generalizations about an entire racial group; and are used to essentially define the culture of that race with respect to a variety of topics such as fashion, music, social norms, and general behavior. For example, one stereotype regarding Latinos is that they are all hard workers and prefer labor-intensive occupations since these jobs are less likely to be picky about immigration status. This is not a representative generalization. Like any stereotype, it is a harmful mistake to lump all people of a race into one category because people are inherently different. Orientation Stereotypes based on sexual orientation are also quite obvious. Standard ideas about the behavior of homosexuals (gays or lesbians) are just as wrong as racial stereotypes. The portrayal of lesbians as “cheeks” or gays as effeminate only applies to a portion of the total population; and stating that a homosexual explicitly fits a specific description is, again, not representative of the entire demographic. GenderGender stereotypes are somewhat more hidden. The most common gender stereotypes we see in the media today involve gender roles at home and in the workplace. Essentially this makes men the more dominant, strong and/or powerful gender; while women are nurses, housewives and more fragile. Although gender equality received a huge boost during the sexual revolution, this type of stereotype is exceptionally difficult to push away because it is deeply rooted in our cultural norms and is tied to nature itself. Sexual Sexual stereotypes are, like gender stereotypes, a little more difficult to detect (Ethical problems in the mass media). This is due to the fact that the presentation of this type of stereotype is not as obvious as the others and because it is often linked to biological nature. For example, saying that all teenagers are overly eager for sex due to hormones may seem like a valid statement.