Article February 1, 1999 Issue

Unmasking stereotypes ...

What happens when folks don't fit the mold

with contributions from David G. Shields, Rita Polatin, David D. Hohle, Denise Ellott Shane, Jean Stark Hebenstreit

What's your stereotypical image of a woman, a man, a college student, an octogenarian, someone black, someone white, someone who smokes? An even more unnerving question: how do you think others stereotype you? Wouldn't it be refreshing not to pre-judge our neighbors? Imagine the doors that would open if we met one another not only free of preconceptions, but certain of our kinship—thanks to God, our common Father-Mother.

In the next pages, you'll see what a difference it makes to drop sterotyped impressions and find the real man and woman of God's creating.

During college, I got a job over the Christmas break working at a department store. The manager of the department to which I was assigned took a dislike to me, and I to him. One day when I came home from work, I told a close family friend that he disliked me because I was white and he was black. I also thought he was jealous that I was going to school at a private college. He on the other hand was working full time and going to a local college.

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