Speak up!

Have you ever stopped to think about the exact words coming out of your mouth and the mouths of those around you? Here, have a few:

• Women aren’t as smart as men.
• All Asians are good at math. (Yeah, I’m high-fiving myself. Way to break the stereotype!)
• All politicians are scumbags.
• Women are not good at sports.
• All Indian men beat their wives.
• All girls who wear short skirts are sluts (not my words, I swear).
• People with mohawks are punks.
• People with tattoos are gangsters.
• What do all the above sentences have in common? One word. Stereotype.

Stereotype. (n.) :

1. A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.

2. One that is regarded as embodying or conforming to a set image or type.

If, in a public setting, I talk about stereotypes and why they are extremely harmful, I get a handful of either rude and caustic backlash or well-meaning but utterly meaningless excuses. I mean, stereotypes are true, aren’t they? Otherwise, why would they exist?

Here’s Argument A: You’re just trying to defend yourself, dude. You know you it’s true – you fit right into it.

 

Hmm. I’m South Indian. I like idis and dosas, and enjoy the occassional Sambar rice. The food is just mind-numbingly yummy, so there. I’m proud of the culture that enables you to titillate your taste buds. That’s not the problem.

Here’s what I wouldn’t mind: Fact – South Indian people eat idlis and dosas.

Here’s what I’m hearing: South Indian people eat idlis and dosas. This is, somehow, an action that befits ridicule.

 

Of course I’m going to shoot down that one, based on the tone of your voice. Shut up.

Argument B: This doesn’t concern you! I’m just talking about a race of people who are far removed from us – by oceans! Stop being so mean to me and “taking the side” of people you don’t know.

 

I’ve heard this one a lot of times. The poor soul is traumatized because someone called him/her out for a racial or sexist comment. Here’s a pointer: this is actually for you. “Your side.” By drawing attention to the fact that something you said was inappropriate, we’re helping you (and ourselves) to see the human race as faces, not labels. Together, we’re walking in the right direction.

 

No stereotype meant to ridicule is too small. Based on your circle of friends, this could be highly ‘flammable.’ Remember that dude in our history books – Hitler? Yeah.

Before some of you point fingers, I’ll admit it – I’m guilty of some horrible stereotyping. And that’s why we need to speak up. We don’t need a repeat of our years of horrible history. We need to let our friends and family know that holding on to and perpetuating harmful stereotypes may change our world – and not for the better.

 

Speak up. Stand up to your friends and family. Let them know that jeering at people based on their looks, ethnicity or gender is not alright. We all want to be accepted by our peer groups, so we give in to peer pressure. This is good peer pressure, guys. Dissuade any hurtful talk against other people. Maybe at least one fraction of the society will be better off for it.

Whooo…. Diversity!

Just got back from watching Monsters University.

While the critics are griping about it being a step down from the usual Pixar fare, I enjoyed it. I must say that it’s a worthy follow-up to a lovely movie. I’ve always appreciated Mike Wazowski, and I’m glad they didn’t blur out his round green face in the front page of the newspaper, though he was in the process of being arrested. Oops, spoiler. No more, I swear.

But what interested me is the team – rag-tag people/monsters who weren’t even out to prove the same point, but discovered something good all the same. They were the bunch with the least odds of winning – and maybe that’s why they did it so well. Diversity is underrated in almost every organization, and even in many of our personal lives. We are so happy being surrounded by clones of ourselves so we can feel good and safe and always in our comfort zone.

I believe that a team needs to have people who challenge each other and yet who complement each other, who can contribute positively in their own special way. In a team, heterogeneity may be your greatest weapon yet. Learn to embrace it.

So do what you do best, and do it with pride. There is only one of you, and nobody can be you better than you can. Hone your skills and fine-tune your distinct art. Go crazy – crazy is not always a bad thing. Sometimes, crazy is the only sane thing around.

It is important to understand that everybody doesn’t think or behave exactly the way you do – and that’s A-okay. Work hard, work together and make the magic happen. Ask this team how.