Stereotype this

I am so unbelievably sick of people assuming that because a person has tattoos or piercings that they are a hoodlum. I've gone over this before. It's a typical stereotype but here's one that I'm learning more and more about lately......... People who read or write fantasy, paranormal or sci-fi books are crazy or as one writer is finding out "evil".

I read a lot! I especially read in public. So i am often faced with the question of what are you reading? I use to lie and say " a Nicholas Sparks book" because I didn't want to explain why I am fascinated with vampires or werewolves. But lately I just don't care so I tell people I am reading blah blah blah and it's about a vampire...... Then I get an eye roll and a snotty laugh. It's annoying! Please do not judge a person by the books they read!

They say you should never judge a book by its cover. Well please do not judge a writer by her genre of book either! Just because someone writes about vampires or violence, it does not mean that that person is a serial killer or has murderous tendencies. It means they have an amazing imagination and hold the ability to broaden their horizons through story telling.

We unknowingly teach our children to stereotype at an early age. When my son was a wee little lad, we were at Lowes waiting in line to pay for some paint. Our cashier was very friendly and asked my son if he was having a good day. So of course he felt chatty and decided to strike up a conversation. He asked "are you a basketball player?" and the girl said "why would you say that? Is it because I'm 6 ft 3 inches tall?". My son answered "No! Because you're black!" and I thought the girl would die laughing. I was embarrassed. She didnt take any offense to it and he didn't mean to be offensive but I felt bad because I realized that he saw things as black or white. Not human. From then on, I watched everything I said to him!

So today I touched base with the kids because I've been feeling the pressure from the idiots who try to make me feel silly for reading the things i do and reminded them that someone's outer shell should never be what you judge them by and that they should never judge a person by their preferences!

And don't judge a man by his shoe size or a woman by her hair color.

So please think twice before you slap that label on someone. That guy listening to death metal could be your soul mate!