As much as annoying uncles and hack comedians love them, stereotypes are generally not based on anything more than anecdotal evidence. However, much like weeds or plastic tossed out in the wild, they just do not die out, much to the chagrin of people who actively have to go through life being told things about themselves by misinformed strangers.
Someone asked “What stereotype do you find most annoying or offensive?” and netizens shared all their personal examples. We also got in touch with the person who asked the question. So get comfortable as you read through, upvote the ones you agree with most and be sure to add your own thoughts and experiences in the comments section below.
#1
That old people are out of touch.
Some are. Some aren't. Some are way cooler than you.
Image credits: thamonsta
#2
Chronically ill/disabled people don't exaggerate symptoms for attention. Generally we downplay how much pain we're in.
Image credits: rotatingruhnama
#3
Used to be ASE Certified and had an automotive career for two years before I left due to realizing I had no future in it. Most people won't admit it but they won't believe anything I tell them about what's wrong with their car despite my extensive knowledge and experience along with schooling and certifications, and an overall very conspicuous passion for working on cars. Doesn't matter, they see b**bs and think I'm cosplaying as a mechanic for attention. I had to be perfect or I wasn't good enough while the 19 year old working next to me gets promoted with no certifications at all, and proceeds to cause a customers tie rod end to come loose.
Stereotypes can hurt. They can ruin careers. They ruined mine.
Image credits: dashielle-coyote
Bored Panda got in touch with the netizen who created the post and they were kind enough to answer some of our questions. Naturally, we were curious to hear why they wanted to know more about stereotypes in the first place.
“I asked this because of a conversation my husband and I were having about people's preconceived ideas. It wasn't necessarily based on specific stereotypes, but the overall idea that people are afraid of what they don't understand, so they create stories or reasons to make things comfortable for themselves.”
#4
Women are just “on their period” when they get angry or sad. Like I’m sorry maybe I’m mad because you're an idiot.
Image credits: SollicitusOwl
#5
One of the stereotypes I hate most about women, is that people assume that all women want children, that it's in their biology and they are naturally born mothers.
Image credits: Winter-Sky-123
#6
Boys can't be r*ped because they all want it, as someone that was abused as a child and reported it to female teachers, nurses, neighbors, social workers, other teachers and nurses.
even at ages from 9-13 when i was homeless begging for help, no one thinks boys deserve help, like no you have a p*nis. you don't need or deserve help, not even worthy of calling like police or someone anyone. i thought i didn't deserve help. i lived my life never asking for help thinking i don't deserve it.
as a young adult desperately trying to fix my mental problems so i could have a normal relationship with women, there's no help, when i called help lines, the only help available was if I was a rapist or perpetrator of child abuse, there's none for if you as a boy were a victim.
We also wanted to hear their opinion on why the post went viral. “I think it became active because everyone has some kind of idea about another group in their head. People also like to know when others agree with them. They feel validated, and it's a confidence boost when others think what we say is worth hearing.”
#7
I can't stand the people that think you have to be physically disabled to be disabled. Mental disability is real, and its BS to get told "well you don't looked disabled" when you have to fight every second of the day, pretending to be normal and keep your sh!t together until you can get home!!!
Image credits: Tamahii
#8
Dads being incompetent, lazy, a*shats. I mean, it's just heartbreaking how rare it feels to see dads that are actually proud and hardworking parents in media.
Image credits: Kapples14
#9
I (white) married a black woman so I have a “thing” for black women. I just found a cool person to share my life with, it’s not that deep. I mean, I have a thing NOW, but I wasn’t looking for a black woman going in to dating.
Image credits: wclure
“There are so many stereotypes out there--the ones that I have been noticing more lately are related to age. For example, older people think kids today are stupid. Ironically, kids today are way more advanced than they were in the 60s and 70s because kids today actually see more than one perspective. It's ridiculous because that response baffles Boomers (I hate to say it) even more because they'll argue that they're not narrow-minded.”
#10
That fast food workers are dumb. Used to work in fast food and realised a good majority of the public are incredibly stupid.
Image credits: RyanD1211
#11
That if you are not the stereotype of your race then you are trying to act like another race.
On-na_String:
When I lived in Virginia, a white girl told me I didn't "act black" because some black kids in our school bullied her for her Texan accent.
Then when I was in the south, a black dude told me I acted white because I didn't talk like them (I don't have a southern accent). My older siblings have been told similarly.
I haven't gotten a comment like that in years, but I remember it being a bit bothersome because I don't believe you can "act" any race....
Image credits: butt_nut_bandit
#12
Introverts = shy and awkward.
Image credits: anon
They also shared some other examples. “Young people have no respect. They do--but older people don't think they have to earn it. Basically, all of the general misconceptions older generations have about kids today can be viewed as a stereotype. My favorites from the thread, if you aren’t a stereotype of your race, then you are trying to be another race. All women want children. Someone who is schizophrenic is definitely a serial killer. Unless you can see it, there is no disability. The very same people who complain about others constantly are the ones who fit the stereotype and they can't even see it.”
#13
All Middle easterners assumed to be Muslims when there are many that aren’t.
Image credits: NasisCool
#14
The old (and inaccurate) saying: “if you’re not a liberal when you’re young, you have no heart, and if you’re not a conservative when you’re older, you have no brain.”
What complete nonsense.
#15
Men don’t change diapers. When I do.
d2r7:
There should be baby changing stations in more public restrooms, not just 'Ladies/Women' and 'Family" bathrooms, because dads gotta do dad things.
Image credits: jeff9702
#16
Quite annoyed when gays are portrait all glamorous "~ooh, darling"-like.
Image credits: RalseiTheGoat8
#17
That Irish people all love the drink and are either constantly drunk or on the lookout for an opportunity to get drunk.
It's enough to drive you to the bottle.
#18
Any stereotype that has the potential to turn violent. Ex. Asians have COVID, Asian women are easy, Latino/as are d**g dealers, Black people are dangerous, etc. People get attacked and even k*lled because of these types of stereotypes.
#19
That old people are clueless about technology.
Image credits: Free_Pollution6405
#20
“Fat people are lazy.”
My entire immediate family is overweight (including me). My mom and dad worked full time jobs and took care/raised the three of us. They both have lost weight over and over again - then gained some or all back. Us, their children, have inherited the ability to gain weight extremely easily. We’ve all held jobs since 16 or 17. Have been described as the most reliable and responsible people you’ll ever employ. However we’ll always be judged as lazy. Because we’re overweight. Trust me, if it was as simple as “eating less, moving more” or “calories in, calories out” my family would all have a normal BMI.
Image credits: anon
#21
Women being bad drivers was my first thought.
Image credits: HumbleCoconut2511
#22
It's probably not the most offensive but I work in retail and it annoys me that so many people think that its easy and that we're all stupid and unskilled.
If you have a conversation with someone about politics or science or whatever, you'll often get a back-handed 'compliment' that you're 'too intelligent' to work in a supermarket, as if the fact that you work in retail must mean that you're dumb as a box of rocks.
OK, some of us are, me included at times but I hate when people think I'm an idiot before I've even had the chance to open my mouth and say something stupid yet!
#23
That men can't be alone with kids without looking suspicious.
#24
I’m a black woman and I am not angry. I’m actually a really kind and caring person that looks for the positive in situations.
#25
That just because I'm bisexual must mean I want to have a threesome or that I'll cheat during a relationship. Like no and no. Please stop asking me if I'm down for one, I'm not.
#26
That people who don’t speak your language are stupid.
anon:
To add: On the flip side that people that speak more than one language are intelligent (they could be ignorant racists in multiple languages). I agree with your statement.
Image credits: BitcoinHurtTooth
#27
I hate it when someone streotypes about how a man should do the first move and we, a woman, should just wait for it. And if a woamn do the first move they will have an impression that that woman is a s**t and is a thirsty for man..
#28
That Americans are just a bunch of exnophoboc, racist, gun toting, truck driving, close minded morons.
I mean, me, driving a truck? Not a chance.
#29
Women in leadership or upper positions must have slept their way to the top.
Image credits: anon
#30
That people that didn’t go to college are lazy.
Image credits: Dangerous-Fishing-25
#31
Honestly "Karen" is getting really old and taken way out of context. Need to start calling crazy what it is. Crazy. Rude. Inconsiderate. Selfish. Ignorant. Entitled. Dramatic. Let's get more specific folks.
#32
Quiet kid = School shooter.
lr031099:
I can relate. I was made fun of for being a quiet kid in school with one kid in my class saying that I could be a school shooter.
Image credits: makarov731
#33
Im black. I can't dance, stop assuming, please.
Image credits: orkash
#34
That all married couples hate each other.
#35
Nerds can't be athletic. I'll beat your a*s on the course and in star wars trivia.
#36
I get really annoyed when people automatically think that I'm an IT guy. BTW, I am Asian.
Image credits: no-quarter275
#37
Assuming that the person in charge has to be a man. Similarly, a man refusing to work under a female boss.
#38
That white/European food is bad or “unseasoned”. Or that white people are culture thieves.
#39
That if you're really good at something you're born gifted. Wasn't the thousands of hours I put into learning it just was born knowing how to do it. Because that's how skills work.
I can play a lot of musical instruments, can I pick up a similar instrument to what I know and make it sound decent? Yes but that's not because I'm gifted it's because I practiced with something similar for days.
Image credits: StreetOrganization13
#40
That we men are all “horn dogs,” always interested in s*x, or that we want to intercourse a woman. Hint: many times, we don’t want to intercourse the ladies.
#41
That women aren't as good at math or science as compared to men.
Image credits: d2r7
#42
“Lesbian” haircuts, b***h I just like short hair cause my hair is heavy.
#43
Autistic people as being dumb.
Image credits: anon
#44
I hate that people that have parents living with them are stereotyped as people leeching off their parents.
Even if the person is the one paying all the bills and clearly working while their parent sits at home doing nothing. people still automatically assume that the parent owns the house and is paying all the bills while their kid is leeching off them. to the point of being looked down on and it's really annoying.
Image credits: lyricgrr
#45
That single parents are bad parents. Sometimes single parents are f*****g epic.
anon:
This one ticks me off bad. there’s such a paranoia over getting divorced, “what about the kids?!” Controversial, but it’s not that big of a deal. A parent is only as good as they parent. 1 or 2, whichever gender, is not the biggest factor of them all.
#46
That if a teen is interested in someone of the opposite gender, they automatically have a crush, especially if they're a teen.
I just want a friend more than anything, and I see this person like a sibling. I've had to hide friendships and avoid hanging out with people to avoid teasing and s**t like that from my parents.
#47
That men must be good with hands / technical things. I ever have an ex colleague who can’t believe I as a guy don’t know how to fix a bike (“but you’re a guy”). Well I never owned a bike.
Image credits: I_love_pillows
#48
Not necessarily a stereotype, but it's very annoying when people assume that picky eaters CHOOSE to be picky eaters.
#49
I hate that as a woman in IT, my ideas weren’t heard unless repeated by a male. Then he would take credit.
#50
You're Asian so you're naturally smart, right?
Image credits: anon
#51
Anything with height. We cant control genetics.
#52
That I/my parents do not work hard because we don’t have very much money.
#53
That all/most foster parents are heroes, that foster kids are “bad”, that all foster kids want to be adopted….anything pertaining to foster care tbh.
#54
That people who come from “third world” to “first world” countries to work have lower educational attainment for the same degree type, and are not suitably qualified to do the same job they did in their home country.
In fact I’d argue that the educational and training rigor is more stringent in some poorer countries than some first world countries.
I will not state which countries I am referring to or I will be lambasted with defensive criticism.
#55
That those who do not belong to gender norms or who are not heteronormative are promiscuous and/or deviant.
#56
Any part of the “dumb blonde” character
and the amount of people who think i’m lying to them about xyz things about myself to escape the label.
#57
White moms not punishing their kids.
There are white kids in my school who get their a*s beat because they came home one minute past curfew or got a b on a test but then there’s black kids who don’t have a curfew and vape and barely pass then there’s vice versa just sayin race doesn’t matter.
#58
That every “successful” single straight male should be in a relationship in his 40s.
Image credits: Automatic_Office_358
#59
That all diabetes is caused by sugar; type 2 is sugar/bad diet, while type 1 is more or less genetic [i think. I have it and 1 other person in my family has it].
#60
That Christians are uneducated sheeple.
#61
Well I’m schizophrenic and… people think I’m a serial k*ller. So probably that.
#62
The assumptions that women like cooking/cleaning, are inherently better at cooking/cleaning, or don’t really mind cooking and cleaning up after themselves and another capable adult (and sometimes kids).
I’m wondering how I pay (more than) half of the rent, utilities and other bills and have almost no free time to dedicate to hobbies or relax because I have to spend hours every single day managing all of the responsibilities of two adults to live all by myself. I don’t even get paid for all of this free labor nor do I get the benefits of companionship.
#63
That all Southerners are dumb racists.
#64
That us brazilians play football and dance samba 24/7, i suck at football and i never went to an carnaval.
#65
People who have a spouse of another race thinking they have a right to speak on said race's experience or that they're instantly not racist in any way shape or form and their actions can never be perceived as such.
And that's not just aimed at white people.
#66
Making fun of Hispanic kids that don't speak Spanish. I keep hearing them called ”No Sabo Kids." Our Mesoamerican ancestors did not speak Spanish. Spanish is the language of the conquistador. If you don't speak your native tribes dialect, don't talk s**t about others.
#67
Girls don’t play/aren’t good at video games.
#68
I hate that because I’m white and not overtly liberal, I must be a conservative fascist.
Arbitrary centrists exist, people.
#69
If you're mixed (white+latino), you look white, and you aren't fluent in Spanish, then you have no business identifying as even partially latino. As a mixed kid who is whiter than paper who couldn't for the life of me retain any of the Spanish I was taught, this stereotype really hurts.
I come from a long line of Spanish New Mexicans on one of my parents' side (my ancestors settled in what's now New Mexico way before it was a part of the U.S.), but my other parent is very white. I'm proud of my Spanish heritage, even if it isn't visible, and people call me fake for talking about it. It's not my fault I didn't get very much melanin.
#70
Strong people are stupid. Not the most offensive stereotype but I didn’t see it on here.
#71
I hate when ethnicities or races are categorized into a small box and expected to all dress the same, or else you’re not that specific ethnicity/race. Many white people have told me I didn’t look Mexican just because I don’t dress like the stereotypical Latina… not even because of my appearance, but style.
#72
That West Virginians / Appalachians are backwoods inbreds. When I left the state (for career purposes), I was shocked to find how many assumptions people made about my home. I still avoid questions about where I’m from because I don’t want the cruel comments.
#73
Tired of stupid East Indians stereotypes: creeps, stare at white women, are IT experts with thick Indian accents, introverted, social inept and of course horrible hygiene.
There is also a world of difference between someone who was born in a western country vs one that was born and raised in India. I am tired of being automatically lumped in with that separate cohort.
#74
I'm a white male so therefore my life has been on easy mode.
Almost every "ethnic" I know save from those who actually *came* from overseas seems to have a better life than me. More success, friends and social life, wealth, involved parents, better schooling and mental health and more loved ones around them now.
#75
Black women being loud, aggressive, and lack any form of intelligence, or having big natural hair as an African American means it’s most likely fake.
#76
That befause i'm trans im automatically left wing/communist.
#77
I hate when people say that X country are either ugly or beautiful, honestly how brain-dead you have to be to be so reductive towards millions of woman.
#78
That fake hair, nails, and makeup automatically make a girl out to be 100% fake, high "up-keep" , or vain.
#79
That if you're a black person you're supposed to have dreads, or braids, or any sort of twist, or an afro. That if you don't have any hair type but straight that it's a wig, even if you just straightened your hair that day.
#80
Wearing glasses makes me a nerd.
#81
That black people talk like “yo yo, what up,” and etc i saw someone asking how to talk to black people and how to know our language doing weird “gang-like” hand signs….like we literally speak english ? matter fact we barely do that and if there are ppl who do that its the environment that the are raised in but ive nvr seen a black person as one do that ?.
#82
All black people eat chicken. Actually it’s proved more colored people are vegan than white people.
#83
Republicans are stereotyped as religious or hateful.
#84
People out together are automatically a couple.For example, I (f) was out with a female friend and (both single and straight)we went to an outdoor car show because we both like cars and didn't feel like staying home. We decided to stop for ice cream before we went home and the young male cashier automatically charged my friend for both our orders without asking. We'd done nothing to indicate we were a couple and he didn't ask; he just made a huge assumption. No, we weren't offended, but we were very annoyed at the inconvenience. They had a long line so only an a*****e would make him rering it and no way was I going to make my friend pay for my order because of some stupid kid. Fortunately, I had the right combo of bills to pay her back, but if I didn't, ugh!
