I've lived in Washington my entire life. No, not Washington D.C. Washington state. Yes, the one with Seattle and rain. But Washington is more than 365 days of showers, which, fun fact, isn't even completely accurate. Go over to eastern Washington and you'll see for yourself. Much of what you assume about Washington state isn't even true, but that's not to say some of the ridiculous stereotypes aren't embarrassingly accurate. Let's take a look at some of the most famous stereotypes about the evergreen state, and decide what's total bullshit and what is admittedly true.
Everyone in Washington owns a North Face jacket: Myth
Washington state is known for our apparent love of the North Face brand. In reality, a lot of us don't own a single item from North Face; it's so damn expensive. I grew up in eastern Washington, but am attending college in western Washington. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say western and eastern Washington are complete opposites. Sure, the majority of people here on my college campus have North Face rain jackets or coats, but I can only recall a handful of individuals on the other side of the state with North Face gear. In fact, I didn't own anything North Face until I came over to the west coast.
We refuse to use umbrellas: Fact
OK, not everyone here looks down at umbrella use. But the general majority don't own umbrellas. True, we have almost no use for them in eastern Washington. But on the west side, where it rains more than it shines, you still don't see very many people using them. Some people don't even use hoods! The rare instance you see someone using an umbrella, you can't help but assume they're a tourist. Because a true Washingtonian wouldn't be caught dead with one.
Washington = Seattle: Myth
Seattle is a cool place, don't get me wrong. But we are more than the space needle, Pikes Place Market, and Nirvana. We have mountains, museums, beaches, and even a whole side of the state that doesn't get over 200 days of rain per year. Washington state is a magical place: we have a little bit of everything. But we are always being defined by Seattle. That needs to change!
We are coffee extremists: Fact
Again, you'll find a handful who hate coffee and the association it has with Washington. But the rest of us almost always have a cup of coffee in hand. We have our coffee shop snobs and our Starbucks lovers; there is no in-between.
We're all just a bunch of pot smoking hippies: Fact
Just kidding about that one. Sort of. You're going to find stoners in every state. But Washington is one of the only states in the country that weed is legal in. Not that that would stop us anyway. Eastern and western Washingtonians alike love their marijuana. I'm actually pretty stoned at the moment, if that's any indicator for you.
Macklemore is a personal friend of each and every one of us: Myth
I'm only slightly exaggerating about this one. For those who live under a rock, the rapper Macklemore is from Seattle. I know a ton of people who have either met Macklemore themselves or know someone who has. But that doesn't mean we all have his personal cell number. I didn't even know who Macklemore was until a few years ago.
We are all die-hard Seahawks fans: Half fact, half myth
Once you realize you're talking to someone from Washington state and not Washington D.C., the Seattle Seahawks more likely than not pop into your mind. There's seriously more 12th man gear than Birkenstocks and Patagonia combined. Seahawk fans are damn proud of their home team. So why did I say this was both a fact and a myth? Let's just say most of these 12th men didn't appear until right before the Seahawks won the Superbowl, and leave it at that.
