Is It True?

Sometimes we dont realize what we are doing to other people because they could be
doing it to us. Sure, the person may not hear us but we tell our friends about other people and
they may agree with us or even our family members too. Stereotypes are not only cruel but
incorrect. They depict the falsehood about someone's culture, race, or gender. Stereotypes are
making judgments about someone without even knowing the person. For all we know, some
people stereotype their own gender and even race without even knowing them because of the
way they dress or look and that is judging a book by its cover. In my case I have been
stereotyped on my race and gender, which has affected me by making myself think differently on
how I should act and not feel unique.
Being a Latina has its challenges. In high school I went through stereotyping and it was
no fun and offensive. Senior year I got extremely involved with my leadership class and decided
to run for student body president. I ran and won which was a memorable accomplishment for me.
I took over many responsibilities and one of them was going to after school meetings. At the first
meeting, as soon as I entered I kept getting many stares from the Parent Teacher Student
Association (PTSA) and some teachers asking if I was lost. I said no, I'm here to stay and voice
my opinion for my leadership class and the school. They laughed at me and said good luck. I
shook that off and waited for the meeting to start. That was when I noticed that out of the 30
people attending only three were Latinos. Once I was introduced and the meeting went on they
started talking about what ethnicities got better test scores and why. A parent from the PTSA
said since we have a Mexican here why don't we ask her what problems she is having and how
we can help her people get their test scores up. Never had I felt so insulted, why would she think
that I would have bad test scores, if I was just there to listen and talk when necessary. And why

did she say "her people" and Mexican if we were talking about all Latinos and Hispanics. But it
didn't stop in there. I was in the room with mostly all men and a few women. Whose ethnicities
were mostly Caucasian, some African Americans and a few Latinos. It was my responsibility to
act seriously in a meeting and be in charge as a school leader. At this other meeting we had to
vote about changing an amendment to the leadership Constitution when I spoke up and raised my
voice I heard a guy form my leadership class say why is she here if most girls don't succeed after
high school and end up getting pregnant and another say I was bossy for taking charge of the
committee.
The way that these people have judged me has influenced so many views of myself in
regards to my race and gender. The people who stereotyped me gave me the perspective that
every ethnicity is not the best we are all equal. Some may prove to be better in other areas such
as, taking a designated test some may be good at the English section, while others could be good
at the math, history or science section. I may just be one girl but one day I will be able to show
these people that I'm not just a Latina with bad test scores but a girl who is striving to learn and
make something of herself for future generations to come. They did hurt my feelings but that
didn't stop me. Why would they think that just because I'm a girl it doesn't mean much. I am
capable of doing the same things as any other person is. I may just be a girl but I beat out a guy
who wanted my school president position because I felt that I was more determined and striving
to earn this. Even though my high school was mostly all Caucasians I still felt great that I was
doing some impact for not only my race but everyone out there so they felt equal and not a
minority. I feel that women should be able to hold high position jobs in any industry. The
percent of females being CEOs has risen 4% and now it's at 22%. Yes it seems like it slowly
progressing but one day we will hold much more.

Stereotypes have given me a new perspective in how I treat others, because I treat
everyone the same. When a women talks I believe that she should be given respect, the same as a
man or any ethnicity group or age. Because that is how I felt talking to a room of all ethnicities
and mostly the same age. I believe that it doesnt only happen to Latinas but mostly all women
because many think that we dont know what we are talking about when we really do. I
sometimes feel that it is hard to voice your opinion when someone puts you down, you dont feel
the confidence or the support of others. Thats why when anyone talks whether young or old, or
any ethnicity I give them my undivided attention.
People who have been stereotyped can get upset and I don't think people should be
labelled into a category because we are all different. What I mean is just because a woman raises
her voice a little she shouldn't be called bossy, like a guy who is just giving directions. She is
just sharing her leadership skills and making sure the crowd is listening to her every word. Just
because I am Latina it doesn't mean I will get pregnant anytime soon. I would rather be
productive in school, so one day I can show my future generations that working hard and being a
Latina, one can succeed anywhere in the world where hopefully stereotypes wont exist.