Stereotypes?!

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S̄WạS̄DĪ!


Annyeong, dear readers!
So this week, we’re going to unravel a bit of stereotype!
A stereotype can be defined as a widely held but set an oversimplified image or idea about a particular type of person or objective. Stereotyping takes place because we see common patterns in certain categories of people. For example, one might say that all Frenchmen are proud. These kinds of ideas are not actually based on that person’s experience or knowledge but rather from the beliefs that already exist in the society.
  
 Now, do you even remember the last time you had this kind of attitude towards someone? For example, in our society, when someone commits bad things and he happens to be a Kelantanese, our community is quick to judge that people from Kelantan are mostly rude and rough. 


Nahhhh, regardless of where we’re coming from, human beings are inclined to do mistakes. We’re not perfect, deal with it.

So, hmm.. … From my experience, (Afiqah) I’ve never been in a worst situation where people discriminate me for what I’m wearing and who I am naturally. But, during my secondary school years, things were tough and rebellious. 

I went to a religious school from the age of 13 to 15, and it was never my decision to go there (but now I’m beyond grateful for this, thanks mom!) I was never the kind of person who would follow the rules and I wouldn’t blame my friends for this because my heart was not there initially. If the school wants me to wear long-and-covered-my-butt hijab, I’ll do it the other way around. 

Gosh, I hope my kids don’t follow my foolish steps. Umm, this happened 7 years ago, and people might have changed :D
Eeeeekkkkk, back to my story.  

My group of friends, what makes us so close to each other is because of our carefree attitude. We’re loud, confident and chirpy. Proud is not the right word to describe this but our friendship really meant so much to me. Some of the teachers in our school had that ‘look’ to us whenever we walked pass the canteen or the office.

 Everything that we do need to be inspected by the discipline panels from the shape of our school hijab to our body gestures. Honestly, I was super uncomfortable by this discrimination where people perceive us as ‘bad’ or ‘rude’ all the time.

BUT!!!!!
Things were slowly changing when I moved to another school. I went to an ordinary school, that is completely different to my previous school. In the religious school, I didn’t have Chinese and Indian friends around me. Nevertheless, my multicultural friends never look down on me or talk bad about me. We accept each other’s differences and live with it peacefully.


ALRIGHT, enough about Afiqah. Let’s talk about Aminah! Haha, sorry Afiqah, no offense. Okkaaayyy. We will start with two questions. What is my stereotype towards others and what people has stereotype towards me. First thing first, don’t judge me please? I have changed, seriously.



Okay, before I entered IIUM, I have this kind of stereotype where I always thought that people who live in cities such as Kuala Lumpur always people who tend to mingle ad socialize and they have a bad influence. But after I entered IIUM, I discovered that not all them are like that. In fact, there are some of them who are so pious and guarded. Yeah, I know. I am not an open minded person BEFORE. Huhu. IIUM has changed me. Fufufufu…

Right, moving on my experience on people’s stereotyping me. Same as Afiqah, I went to religious schools, but I have been since I was 5 years old until today, IIUM. So when people know that I have been learning religious subject for so long, people tend to think that I am a pious person and I know everything about religion. And guess what? I DON’T. Seriously guys, just because people go to religious school, it doesn’t mean that they know everything about that particular religion.


Oh yeahh, another thing. I want to share about me, stereotyping myself. Every time lecturers want somebody to volunteer in class to share some things, I always remained silent or say something so slow that only I can hear myself. This is because that I think that I should not speak aloud because my English is not good. So I should just shut up and let others talk as they are better than me. And yeah, it still happens till now. Shame on me. I really should do something about that.





The greatest lessons we’ve learned: Learn to accept each other's flaws and do not be quick to judge. We have so much of negativity already, we need to replace them with positivity.

So yeahh, that is it. Thank you for reading this, we appreciated every single one of you. =)
-SHUKRIYA-




-pictures credit to Deviant Art, Quiet Revolution, Invite to Islam tumblr, Vv Magazine, Hey!, and many more.

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