Everyone stereotypes each other, because there is usually that ethnic group of people that make the whole sub-race look bad and insulting. People sometimes enjoy and want to be stereotyped. They want to stand out, and be different and want others to notice them also in such crowded society. Unfortunately the majority of stereotypes is nothing that one should be proud of, for example claiming that hispanics are all in gangs. It's ignorant to think this, but it has a great influence in our world.

Yes, individuals are unique, but unfortunately, groups become similar, by definition. Stereotypes are (sadly) often reinforced by the people who are type-cast. I'm an intelligent young blond woman, but if you get 100 young blond women together and quiz them it can be appalling (just watch some of Jay Leno's "jaywalking" segment where he asks people on the street simple questions; none of the dopey blondes he asked knew who Betsy Ross was!) And sadly too, stereotypes are often self-fulfilling. Look at the crime/race stats; at the tests that show people to believe that taller men to be better leaders; at the general behavior at the Palm Springs white party... that old saw, "birds of a feather flock together" also shows that most people choose to associate with people like themselves, across race, religion, economic status, education, politics, etc. We can fight it by being our best selves when representing our own little "type" (I always read the contract in front of the offering party to try to demonstrate that blondes aren't mindless, despite sitcoms!) And by remembering to let each person we meet be an individual first. It's human nature to judge (a biological imperative, actually), but judge on one's merits or lack of first, before resorting to judging by his 'type.'

I think people steretype to make themselves feel better. Me, personally, try not to stereotype because i have been stereotyped against my entire teenage life. The main reason i think people do this is because they are ignorant on a subject. i don't mean ignorant as in being stupid or a jerk. I mean being ignorant by not knowing why a person is the way they is or dress the way they dress or do the things that theyd do. WE as a country make up or own definitions to things that we can't explain or don't want to explain.

sterotyping is every where! its life. people label people all the time sometimes its bad and sometimes its good. In reality it's not gonna go away.. Step 1. everybody is human lets all get along. [the next plateau of realization] Step 2. Is discovering that everyone is diffrent and it's OKAY! I am a straight female of Filipino descent. & YES! people will treat me diffrent because of my ethnic background, my sex, my sexual orientation, or my religious beliefs and so on. but it's OKAY!