What is a Stereotype

stereotype

ˈstɛrɪə(ʊ)tʌɪp,ˈstɪərɪə(ʊ)-/

noun

noun: stereotype; plural noun: stereotypes

1. 1.

   a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.

   "the stereotype of the woman as the carer"

   synonyms:

   standard/conventional image, received idea, cliché, hackneyed idea,formula More

   • a person or thing that conforms to such an image.

     "don't treat anyone as a stereotype"
2. 2.

   a relief printing plate cast in a mould made from composed type or an original plate.

verb

verb: stereotype; 3rd person present: stereotypes; past tense: stereotyped; past participle: stereotyped; gerund or present participle: stereotyping

1. 1.

   view or represent as a stereotype.

   "the city is too easily stereotyped as an industrial wasteland"

   
   
2. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/stereotype)

According to dictionary.reference.com, a stereotype is an image or idea that applies to a particular group. They are a way of judging and categorizing people with only a few generic traits. Using stereotypes means that we don't have to come up with our own opinions of a person when we first meet them, because the idea already exists for us. We can see a blonde woman wearing pink walk into a room, and automatically assume that she is dumb and ditsy without even hearing a word that comes out of her mouth.

Stereotypes are a somewhat lazy tool often used by different groups in the media. It means that the creators of television shows and movie don't have to spend time developing new and unique character traits, when there are already a large selection of preconceived ideas at their disposal. 

But stereotypes can often be damaging to people who share a few traits with the general idea. How could a woman possibly be taken seriously in a job largely run by males if the stereotypes that come with her gender are 'catty', 'domestic' and 'unintelligent'?