Prompt: Write about an experience when someone assumed something about you because of a stereotype. What was the situation, and what did you do?

Prompt: Write about an experience when someone assumed something about you because of a stereotype. What was the situation, and what did you do?

Prompt Response: In middle school I used to wear a lot of makeup. I did it because thats what I thought a girl was supposed to do to herself. No one judges you if you put makeup on because as a girl it is expected. But when I stopped wearing as much makeup in high school people would look at me odd and even my mom would make comments. But I just got tired of feeling gross and dirty with makeup on. I also realized that guys did not wear makeup and it confused me leaving middle school. I realized that girls were expected to look pretty and put together, while boys/men needed to look "tough" and "manly". My mom would make comments like, "why are you not put together?" Which hurt because it made me feel like i looked gross. But then I realized it was not my moms fault that she thought this way. It was societies fault for making women and girls feel only pretty unless they made their face look different. In the end, I decided to make my eyelashes healthier, and my skin healthier. Once I realized that making my skin healthier made me feel pretty. I decided not to fit into the stereotype and to do what made me feel good. I will from time to time wear makeup, but only if it is for me. 

Summary: In class today I learned some good knowledge for if I needed help with college information and we talked about different types of stereotypes. 

Reflection: In class I was at first uncomfortable to talk about stereotypes. But I realized that if stereotypes are not talked about then people can not learn what is right and what is wrong to say.