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The Pros And Cons Of Stereotypes

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Stereotypes are an official representation of a community. That’s an obvious lie, but stereotypes are a concept that is seen as the unofficial yet official view of a certain community. Stereotypes are a complex yet simple concept that can either reinforce or dismantle someone’s view on another individual. Specifically, cultural stereotypes that are broadcasted on a basis. In a sense, cultural stereotyping can negatively affect the individual experience by minimizing their value, which then leads to how they’re viewed by society, and how they’re treated. In Kristen Lee’s typed interview “Multiculturalism Explained in One Word: HAPA” Lee recalls how her appearance affected how she was viewed in different settings and how she felt by it. For example, this can be seen with Lee’s trip to Hawaii. In Hawaii, Lee felt accepted and proud in her physical appearance, while in America, specifically Michigan, she felt like a minority in her setting, “I have almond-shaped eyes, fine dark hair and olive skin that turns butterscotch in the sun. I was a confident and proud HAPA in Hawaii, but when I came back to Michigan, my predominantly white peers still saw me as a model minority statistic, exotic foreigner, and a token Asian in the classroom” (Lee 6). Lee’s view of acceptance was solely based on the minority/majority setting, and how she’s either viewed as a token minority (outsider) or a native to the setting(insider). Lee’s acceptance and value was measured and applied differently in

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