I disagree entirely. Stereotypes can be extremely offensive. If I was blonde and even if I was not being made fun or looked down upon for the "dumb" stereotype, I would still find it offensive that it exists. Stereotypes themselves can be offensive, but I guess it hurts more when they are directly used against you.
I'm all about fashion mang. If I was in a better economic situation, I'd be wreckin' the education joints. I walk around in the hallways and stare at other guys' hair and think to myself: "improve on this paul, improve"
I am a geek, minus the khakis and tucked in shirt and freckles... I have blackheads, and random dots instead of freckles
I made it my job in high school to fit in as many stereotypes as possible. I was the blonde girl that wore designer tops (I got on sale) with cheap jeans (since I doodled on them) and a leather jacket with black stiletto boots or black pumps. I also geeked out whenever possible (though it wasn't very mainstream to be back then), ate lunch with my math teacher while helping other students prepare for tests, etc. I was almost always late for my first class of the day, skipped a few too many tutorial times with notes fromthe teachers to go 'study' (really play cards or play with model rockets in the physics lab) and was in the drama club, mathletes, and literary criticism. Personally I think stereotypes only exist because those 'leaders' of each group try to make them exclusive as possible. But that's my personal opinion.
"If" you were blonde, you'd hypothetically be offended by the stereotype? See, statements like this are why it's so difficult to have a proper discussion about these kind of topics. I could just as easily say "if" you were blonde, you'd still be intelligent enough that it wouldn't apply, and it wouldn't bother you. You might even find it ironically funny - but we're speaking in complete hypotheticals and can never know for certain. It's like trying to discuss Schroedinger's cat without opening the box. In a more general sense, I've noticed something peculiar: People for whom [potentially offensive thing here] does not apply, or even relate to them, are more likely to get worked up over it than those it does apply to. Completely anecdotal observations, but it's a repeating pattern. Person A: "That's offensive to Autistic people!" Person B: "Uh, I'm autistic, and not offended in the least." I've stopped taking those arguments seriously. Wall of text aside, I stand slightly corrected - there are stereotypes that can be offensive if used, but as I said in my initial post (and the point everyone has been overlooking entirely) - Stereotypes don't matter if you don't let them change how you act towards someone.
I think you forgot to put the Latinos stereotypes. Note, I don't want to offend nobody, or intended to offend someone. Stereotypes are so wrong. When I go to concerts, or I go and talk with people from other countries( apart from South, and Central America, also Mexico) they think that Latinos speak the same way, or have same jargon, the same way of pronouncing words. I don't know if this is just in the U.S, but something I hate when people are making fun of me just because I live in a 3 world country. This a stereotype that I hate the most. Where most Latino Americans are often depicted as poor. So yeah, I don't like people that use stereotypes.
Please don't take my example literally. I was pointing out that (an increasing number of) people are far too quick to cry "offense" on someone else's behalf - often, without that party actually being offended.
Really the thing is not all people will get offended as they will just assume its a joke but it really isnt all that funny. Some people understand things MUCH differently than others. Its just a perspective on everything.
