I am going to try my best to not make this a rant. However, one of my biggest pet peeves is when someone stereotypes or judges someone else. A stereotype is an image or idea of a particular person/thing/group, etc. It is a prior assumption of something or someone. There are countless different stereotypes one can make but a few common ones are based on race, gender, culture or sexuality. It is so common to make stereotypical assumptions in this day and age that it is almost the new norm. Which in my opinion, is very sad.

I can recall numerous times in high school, college, work, out in public or even at home when someone blatantly puts someone else in a certain stereotype category without knowing any prior information about them. Now, I am not saying that I have never been stereotypical before because everyone is guilty of it. However, I know I do not do it as often as I used to and it does not really cross my mind anymore. It is 2016 for crying out loud, people do whatever they want, dress however they want and act however they want. I suppose it is an impulsive act to instantly out someone in a certain category before you know anything about them, but I also consider it just a waste of time.

I myself and I’m sure many others have witnessed or experienced someone stereotyping someone else about their weight, hair color, clothing, tattoos, piercings etc. Which are truly just frivolous, meaningless attributes. Making stereotypical assumptions is very similar to judging people, which one should always steer clear of. So what if someone has purple hair or a lip piercing you may not be a fan of. Is that affecting you or your life? I promise you, it is not.

Moreover, just because somebody has a tattoo does not put them in a category of being a Harley Davidson lover or a druggie or a teenager who is trying to lash out at his parents. Just because somebody is wearing dark lipstick or dark eye makeup does not make them ‘goth’ or ‘emo’. Unfortunately, it can be an instinctive thing for one to stereotype someone which leads to judging them because they automatically put them in that category. When in all reality, you do not know the first thing about that person.

It all goes back to the classic saying, “don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” It may be cliché, but it is so true and something to always keep in the back of your mind. A person is a person. If they respect you, you should give that respect right back to them despite what they look like. It can be extremely easy to look at someone and say, “Ew, why are her clothes all raggedy? Did she even brush her hair this morning? She must be living on the streets.” Or, “Wow, that guy is completely tattooed. Looks like he’ll never get a decent job.” Next time you are about to say a comment similar to those, just let it go. Stereotyping is so ten years ago.