Do you judge people by their looks?
By thrwbckjay67
@thrwbckjay67 (2870)
United States
April 6, 2007 12:09pm CST
I will admit. I am 23 years-old, happily married and working a steady desk job, in a degree program at a nationally accredited university.
However, I am multi-racial (half Filipino-American and half African American), I wear fitted baseball hats, sometimes to the side and sometimes backwards. I have flashy jewelry. I listen to loud rap music, and I always have some fresh shoes on. The music is loud, the clothes are usually Sean John or Lacoste but with the “urban look” as I have been told. I have been told that I fit the “stereotype.”
If you saw me on the street, would you see me differently? Would I fit this stereotype?
Don’t worry about my ire. I am way past getting angry over this kind of thing, I am more curious as to what people would think of me with their first instinct. I have had times when people have clutched their purses tighter around me, l suddenly locked their doors in a car when I am next to them, even hold onto their children tighter. I have been tailed in retail establishments where the attendants give me all the “attention” even though I am just looking at merchandise.
Do you see me differently? Do you see the clothes, the style, or would you reserve judgment?
4 responses
@tjhockey53 (337)
• United States
7 Apr 07
I hate to admit it, but first impressions mean a lot to me. I often find my self categorizing people before I even meet them, but with that said I am always open to meeting new people of different races or anything like that.
@Emilie88 (143)
• Canada
7 Apr 07
I really believe that EVERYONE is judging everyone all the time even if it's not conciously...I mean the minute you look at a person for more than 5 seconds, you have an opinion made. Even as little as 5 seconds I assure you!
Most of the time, you don't necessarily judge the person standing infront of you, you judge the style, the dressing, and you relate it to other people that you have noticed in the passed. For exemple, when I was younger, 2 construction guys were hitting on me ..but a really unpleasant way and I guess it sorta traumatised me because without realizing sometimes, if I notice construction workers, I give them a really bad look ....and I swear most of the time I only relize it afterwards ! It's like if I associte ALL the construction workers to «dirty perverts» although I KNOW it's not the case...
So basically, what I am trying to say is that people have different reaction when they see you not because of YOU personnaly but because of the previous events that happened to them in their life...I guess it's like and unconscious self defense...
I try to never judge a person by looks..I don't find it fair bu than again, we are all human and we all do it... I think what is most important is to be yourslef and be confrotable with who you are and the style you've adopted. If you know your a good person, people only need a few minutes around you to feel it.
I think body language is a big helper in many situations ... We should all stop worrying about our looks and concentrate on our attitude. Sometimes, just a smile could do the difference !
@mssnow (9484)
• United States
6 Apr 07
As long as you didn't give me a dirty look or a look like you wanted to kill me i woulodnt mind the way you look. I try to go beyond a persons outside looks and look for their inner beaut. if they are beautiful inside then they are beautiful outside too. So, how would you react to a woman in her fifties. Who was overweight and lost most of her teeth? Would you judge her and think she is old and ugly. I don't wanna hang with her? (No, its not me but a friend of mine)This person is the sweetest person you could ever meet but she gets discriminated against all the time. She has no dental insurance and cant afford a dentist.
@CaroleeKaufold (1853)
• United States
6 Apr 07
Never. Because I think when I am judged I look like a fat old lady, and dumb blonde. Nothing could be farther from the truth!!!
