Stereotyping in The Digital Age Essay Example

Imagine you’re a little kid, a racial minority, and a girl whose parents decided for the week to take you to your favorite place in the whole wide world, Disney World. You just turned eight and you arrive at Disney World all dressed up in your favorite princess dress ready to conquer the many adventures that come your way. But, as you enter the park, you begin to receive many stares from other young girls and boys, and you do not know how to conquer this unique adventure arising. You ask your dad, “why are they all staring at me,” and with a wise yet encouraging voice, he softly whispers, “daughter, they are staring not because of who you are, but because of how wonderful and beautiful you look; you are a princess that stands out!” Deep down, this father knows that someday his daughter will come to know for herself the truth of it all, that stereotypes do exist and aren’t another fairytale or adventure that can magically be conquered. Accordingly, the varying yet consistent formation of stereotypes through many channels such as technology results in a damaging effect and relationship between all cultures and races within our society. 

I will be using two sources to address the topic of stereotypes in the digital age, with an emphasis on women. One comes from Lucille Clifton’s interview with Co-founder and CMO of Women’s Football agency, Carlota Planas in which they discuss the challenges and, “importance of social media in the women’s game and what she would #ChooseToChallenge about the football industry” (Planas, 2021). In my second and equally appealing source, “Perceptions of the Self Versus One’s Own Social Group: (Mis)conceptions of Older Women’s Interest in and Competence with Technology,” Alina Gales and Sylvia Hubner conduct studies and analysis of “how gender, age, and technology stereotypes relate to one another and how this relationship reinforces or questions stereotypes” (Gales & Hubner, 2020). In many ways, the topics of this study and interview overlap each other and provide important contextual insight into the world of stereotypes. 

Stereotypes are indeed real, they do exist, and we need to identify the why behind them. In an interview with Carlota Planas, Lucille Clifton hits at this point by asking, “what has been the biggest challenge for you in setting up a dedicated women’s football agency?” To her question, Carlota intimately responds, “I think the first challenge is stereotypes – I am a woman in a man’s world. Sadly, there is still a perception in some quarters that if you’re young you’re less important, less serious; and if you’re a woman, you don’t know about football” (Planas, 2021). I believe that today, there is a wide belief that this isn’t real, or is not a big issue. Yet, many people today look at a person of color in a princess dress or a woman in a leadership position as not the norm. This is not okay. It is 2021, and it is time for society to wake up, end this issue for good, and change the way we view and treat others. Like many other women, Carlota goes on to state her mission as, “to see a time when a woman steps onto the field as a player, or as a coach, or as a referee, and she doesn’t become big news just because she is a woman.” In many ways, I can relate to her mission and Carlota’s viewpoint of the problems women face, and it is time to end these degrading stereotypes. But why do people believe this and what causes them to be so ignorant when such a big issue like this has clearly haunted our society? 

I believe it is because of technology, which flows into all other areas of society. Young kids are growing up in their own individual and secret worlds, heavily shaped by their addiction and constant reliance of social media and other forms of technology. This has accordingly caused the upheaval and rise of stereotypes which are extremely degrading. Today, we have millions of “little girls in princess dresses,” or those who aspire to be someone they look up to but are pushed down by the stereotypes of society. Stereotypes come in all forms and can happen to anyone, whether they are a little girl or boy, skinny teenager, or older man or woman. We indeed live in a “Disney World” full of judgement and misconception. In Alina and Sylvia’s article, they bring to light a survey conducted in Great Britain in which the study found that “individuals are overwhelmed by the power and potential of the changes new technologies bring” (Gales & Hubner, 2020). In another study conducted, they found that, “gender and technology stereotypes demonstrate a negative connection for women” (Gales & Hubner, 2020). We begin to see through these various studies conducted as well as in my prior paragraph that stereotypes do exist. Exquisitely put, “technologies embody and advance political interests and agendas, the product of social structure, culture, values, and politics as much as they are the result of objective scientific discovery” (Gales & Hubner, 2020). Thus, through the interpretation of numerous studies done around the world, and with accordance with technology, we begin to see a pattern at play. A pattern that has been interwoven into society and is deep at work.

The consistent formation of stereotypes through many channels such as technology identified in my article and in the articles and studies done by many others, brings to light the results of damaging relationships and effects between all cultures and races within our society due to the use of technology. It is true that stereotypes exist, they are hurtful and degrading, and are tearing society apart. So, you might ask, why is this important and where can I do better? The world we are living in is full of hate and diverse groups who want nothing to do with one another. In an ever-increasing world of social media and technology use, this is only increasing the formation of stereotypes and division of individuals and families. It is everyone’s duty to spread awareness and end this ravaging disease that intends to only increase hate and division. Instead of using technology to isolate ourselves, or judge others, we should instead use it to form more valuable relationships, spread good and hopeful messages, and display our true selves. We cannot stop the increase of technology, but we can change how we use it and for what purposes we use it for. Our future generations are at risk, and the last thing we want is for them to grow up in world where they cannot be who they want to be like the little girl at the start of my story. Let’s begin now to change the world, one person at a time, by being more hopeful and encouraging, through technology, as well as bringing to light the issue of stereotypes through neglectful technological use. If we do this, I believe and declare we can surely change the world for our future generations.