Table of ContentsStereotypesRaceOrientationGenderSexualHow the Media Perpetuates StereotypesPresenting NormsLack of RepresentationConclusionI grew up in a small rural town in North Carolina. I was 9 years old before I saw a person who wasn't white, let alone had the opportunity to interact with a person of color. Growing up, I was definitely subjected to prejudiced indoctrination from pretty much everyone around me. However, I have always been open-minded and pride myself on being a critical thinker; so, I really didn't 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 informed about diversity and the people with whom I share my world. In my late teens I had some very profound revelations, or so they seemed at the time. I had never met a person of a different race who embodied one of the stereotypes I had been exposed to growing up; and I was pretty sure no one I knew had done it either. Then, in my twenties, I began to think that our media was responsible for perpetuating these ideas. During my studies, I believe I have gained much more knowledge that not only supports this theory, but also affirms that our media is responsible for perpetuating all stereotypes, not just those regarding race. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Stereotypes Race Stereotypes about race are often the most apparent. This is because it is a generalization about an entire racial group; and are used to essentially define the culture of that race as it relates to a variety of topics such as fashion, music, societal norms, and general behavior. For example, a stereotype about Latinos is that they are all hard workers and prefer labor-intensive occupations because these jobs are less likely to be picky about immigration status. This is not a representative generalization. As with any stereotype, it is a harmful mistake to lump all people of the same race into one category because people are inherently diverse. OrientationStereotypes based on sexual orientation are also quite evident. Received ideas about the behavior of homosexuals (gays or lesbians) are just as wrong as racial stereotypes. The representation of lesbians as "butch" or gays as effeminate only applies to a portion of the total population; and claiming that a gay man explicitly fits a specific description is not representative of the entire population. GenderGender stereotypes are a little more secretive. The most common gender stereotypes we see in the media today relate to gender roles at home and in the workplace. Essentially, this means that men are the more dominant sex, strong and/or powerful; while women are caregivers, housewives and more fragile. Although gender equality has seen a huge boost during the sexual revolution, this type of stereotype is exceptionally difficult to eliminate because it is deeply ingrained in our cultural norms and is linked to nature itself.SexualSexual stereotypes are, like gender stereotypes, a little more difficult to spot (Ethical Issues in Mass Media). This is because the presentation of this type of stereotype is not as open as others and is often linked to.