I’m not sure if the word stereotype by definition is negative, but if I’m honest (and I always try to be) then I truly believe we all depend on stereotypes all the time every day to navigate our world.

We make assumptions every time we look at someone. We need a starting point. It becomes a problem when we don’t allow the stereotypes to flex and bow. It becomes a problem when we don’t let the true person fill in, erase, and redraw the lines as we get to know them. It becomes a problem when we don’t try to know a person beyond our first impressions which mostly formed in our own heads anyway because we have very little else to go off of.

But sometimes we are our stereotypes. We’re superheroes and ballerinas, and just let that be. And other times we will switch… just be ready.