Stereotype and prejudice are common situation all over the world. As Ruchlis mentioned in the article "Stereotype, Prejudice, and Discrimination," he gave us the definition of discrimination, stereotype, and prejudice. Stereotypes are usually formed from improper information about a group of people. It’s common that we have stereotype about a group of people that we are not familiar because we cannot master all aspects of areas, languages, and nations in the world. People are influenced by medium, such as newspaper, TV drama, books, and magazines, immerging in flood of incomplete information or biased statistics. We also acquire information from people who have direct experience. Some of our opinions are formed based on other people’s idea. I’m one of people that suffered from stereotype, and also a perpetrator honestly.
I come from northeast of mainland China which people has the stereotype of that area. The image of people live in north of China is strong, tall, and loud. However, I followed my father that means I’m shorter in height. From my early young age, I knew my mom worried about my height. She even spoke out. Each time I walked with my cousin, she would compare my height with my cousin’s. That really made me sad. Some warm-hearted acquaintance suggested my mom cooking more food which containing calcium for me and also advise me to play basketball. Those kind suggestions upset me and made me feel shorter in height is inferior to other people. With many years past, my mom doesn’t mention my height problem as that much and we moved to the United States. Here I rarely have the discrimination but stereotype. Recently, I talked to one of the customers in my work place. She is Chinese too, and we had pleasant conversation until she asked me which city I came from. I told her I come from Qingdao, Shandong province which located in northeast of China. Then she asked me loudly, “Aren’t Shandong people tall? Why are you so short?” “Well,” I replied with embarrassment, “maybe my height is followed my father.” I did not show my upset to her since I’m tired of explaining this problem.
From the lady’s question, she has stereotype about people in north of China that they are tall. Although the average height of people in north of China is higher than southern China, but she had hasty generalization that all northern Chinese should be tall. In addition, her question about the reason of my short is like insult to me. She also felt a little embarrassed after she asked the question. From my position, that is kind of personal attack. In this case, I just felt embarrassed and a little upset, since I’m already desensitization about my height. There is no antilocution, avoidance or discrimination or further consequences because this case is not prejudice but stereotype.
Instead, I’m also a perpetrator that has some stereotypes or even prejudice about group of people. Before I moved to the United States, I knew nothing about Latino neither from TV. I realized many Mexican people around my living area and they speak Spanish, getting more information from my father who has moved here 6 years longer than me. One day I hang out with a girlfriend, we decided to have hotpot in Monterey Park. When we sat down and ordered food, a tall and skinny guy who worn gray mask and black jacket came in the restaurant. He walked toward the counter directly. I heard somebody said “Don’t move”. I suddenly realized he was a robber. Then another same dressed shorter guy came in with a plastic bag on his hand force the customers to put valuable thing into the bag. My friend and I were sitting around the corner. After the shorter guy collected property, he stood next to my table. I clearly saw a gun-shaped thing was on his hand covered by his long sleeve. I hadn’t had much scared feeling until the moment that I saw the gun. I felt so scared and I was like frozen in the air.
Although both two robbers worn masks, I assumed they are Latino from their dark skin. And I heard a lot of Latino steal from people in Monterey Park. I was right on that case. The two robbers were tracked and arrested within one hour because they robbed iPhone, which had location service. From then, I told my friends and relatives my experience and warned they to watch out Latino guys at night. That is antilocution according to the essay “Prejudice and Stereotype by Ruchlis. I expressed prejudice verbally. I warned my family to keep a distance with dark skin guys and I also did same thing. That is the second consequence of prejudice, avoidance. Members of the prejudiced in-group avoid meeting members of the out-group. Later, I moved to Baldwin Park, and my neighbors are Hispanic. They’re very harm hearted and lent me tools to remodel house. I had better and new image of Latino. With the time passing by, I’m kind of refreshed my mind and feel less scared of Latino people.
Stereotype is formed based on limited information about a group. My stereotype about Latino been changed since I moved to a Mexican living area and live close to them. In the article, stereotype can be changed if in-group and out-group cooperate for an important work. They can have better knowledge each other. In the future, I will be more careful in case of getting fixed image other people or set image to spread incomplete information.