Oh, if I see one more blog on stereotypes... the obsession with stereotypes is just as bad as the obsession with Britney Spears...
To begin with, there wouldn't be any stereotypes if they weren't true for the majority of group. If 95% of NBA weren't black and tall, there wouldn't be any such stereotypes about basketball players. If 85% of the doctors didn't have chicken-scratch handwriting, it wouldn't be a part of their stereotypes. If 70% of this website users weren't truly progressive, The Team would have to get a new domain name!
But now of course everyone is an individual with terribly unique personalities. If you're a woman, that doesn't mean you can't drive. If you're a redneck, that doesn't mean you're ignorant. If you're a clown, that doesn't mean you're funny.
Since those ridiculous stereotypes obviously aren't true for you, why would they bother you? Apparently, some people dislike stereotypes because they don't like being judged based on what they label themselves. This is not reasonable at all! Who cares what other people think about you? You know who you are, not other people.
Remember in kindergarten when a classmate called you a moron and you knew it wasn't true so you pushed him and started a heated playground fight? But we're not in kindergarten anymore! When someone says terrible things about us, we know he/she does it because he/she is jealous and insecure. We know better than to pay him/her any attention and walk away with dignity.
I myself don't personally mind any stereotypes associated with any group I belong to. Strange as it is, nine times out of ten they're true for me. I don't consider this a good thing, but what can I do? I have no sense of individuality.
I hate to say it but you are right about this. Now that you said this I understand that if it isn't true why should I worry about it. Why should I try and prove to them who I really am. If they wanted to know bad enough they would take the time to know me.
I am not one to preach about this because you've seen how I have been with the redneck stereotypes but at least now I realize it is not worth getting pissed about.
http://www.colbertnation.com/
http://www.NRA.org/
Same thing goes for any group. I have heard lots of stereotypical things said about swimmers and lifeguards, but the people who said them have never been swimmers or lifeguards. There is always a stereotype that I seem to hear that swimmers and lifeguards are lazy. Swimmers usually swim around 3-5 miles a night at practice and at least at the places I've worked, if there is no one in the pool, us lifeguards are cleaning the gutters and everything. People really shouldn't be so judgemental until they have actually been in the group they are being judgemental on.