Points Of View, "Inez" by Merle Hodge

Stereotype-an idea of what a particular type of person is like, especially one which is wrong or unfair. Stereotype is something that everyone does everyday. You can stereotype someone without even knowing you're doing it. Just like in this story Inez was stereotyped by everyone around her. Her landlord, baby's daddy, kid's teachers, a nurse, and a police man. They all basically thought the same thing about her: she was a bad mom, irresponsible, etc. What sucks is this is what happens to me on a daily basis. Getting on the bus and seeing all the "looks" from unapproved faces. It's sad to see how they all just look at me as they did Inez. That I'm irresponsible and a bad mom because I'm young, and that I don't know what I'm doing but they're wrong. I know I'm a good mom and I don't need anyone to tell me I am because I know. It's sad how easily we can just look at somebody and just start assuming so many things about that person and not know one thing about them. We can look at a white girl in a nice car and just assume they're little rich spoiled brats from the valley, or see a black or Mexican boy with sagging pants and assume that they're from a hood. We should stop judging others and take a look at ourselves we're not perfect and we are no better than them.