Stereotypes

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Stereotypes

In social psychology, a stereotype is a fixed, over-generalised belief about a particular group or class of people. By stereotyping we infer that a person has a whole range of characteristics and abilities that we assume all members of that group have. According to the UN, ‘a gender stereotype is a generalized view or preconception about attributes or characteristics, or the roles that are or ought to be possessed by, or performed by women and men’22.  A gender stereotype is harmful as it limits the natural talents and abilities of girls and boys, as well as women and men’s capacity to develop their personal skills, pursue their educational experiences, professional careers and life opportunities in general. It is also harmful to gender-diverse people as they do not fit into the binary categories provided by gender stereotypes. Gender stereotyping is a frequent cause of discrimination against women (“Towards gender equality in the cultural and creative sectors”, report of the OMC (open method of coordination) working group of member states’ experts, June 2021).