Why is it (politically?, morally?, ethically?, or all of the above?) wrong to stereotype or denigrate?

Question

Why is it still wrong based on race (ie, African descent), color (ie, black), ethnicity (ie, Latino), female gender, sexual orientation (ie, gay or lesbian), or religious beliefs, but it is still ok to stereotype and denegrate someone because of their short stature?

Answer 1

Its wrong on any account. People find it worse about race, sexual orientation etc. because more people are harrased about it then about there stature.

Answer 2

Do you mean it is wrong to call someone 'short stuff', 'shrimp', 'Mutt & Jeff' and that sort of thing? Probably because if you are short you can't reach the microphone like the rest of us can. I agree with you that it isn't correct. But bear in mind that everyone has their advantages and disadvantages in this life. One man's treasure is another man's junk and if your height turns out to be junk for you there probably isn't much anyone can do about that short of elevator shoes. My problem was the opposite. Where does a too tall girl in high school find a guy to go to the prom with her? I learned to accept, "How's the weather up there?" with a smile and developed this most disgusting sense of humor that eventually got the point across to some people. But for some it was too far over their heads to understand. But yeah, it's still wrong to go around cutting people down for any reason.

Answer 3

It's not right to stereotype for any of those things. Then again, I didn't see weight or hair color on that list. So maybe some physical attributes are considered to still be fair game?

I think the actual answer is, there is more associated violence and repercussions with those issues. Antisemitism, sexual harassment, gay-bashing, etc. You rarely hear about someone being beaten to death, or lynched because they were short, or blonde or, overweight.

Answer 4

It's not ok to discriminate against people for any of those reasons. I try to treat people with respect no matter what. If a person is a jerk or just plain rude no matter how nice I try to be then, for me, it's ok not to like them. Nazis, terrorists, racists and rude people are at the top of my list of people to dislike. That last category covers a lot of people....lol. As a standup comedian the people in the affore mentioned groups are what I concentrate on. I get all the material I need. Age, race, religion, lifestyle or physical stature isn't what I look at when it comes to making friends. If you're nice then that's all that matters to me.

Answer 5

Although I am of average height, I have noticed this also. I think it is because different groups become socially "liberated" at separate times, and short people were the most recent. If you look on television, the last, or nearly last, mixed couple to be shown on tv is tall woman, short man.

Answer 6

well it is wrong to stereotype ANYONE. But unfortunately as a society we are taught to be afraid of what we don't know or understand...and again there are those who come to learn about what they don't understand and there are those that are absolutely ignorant to other peoples feelings and just plain think it makes them a better person if they do stereotype but personally myself I think that if you make fun of, stereotype, or degrade someone because they are different then you really have some real self-esteem issues you need to deal with,sooooo.....just remember to love yourself for who you are and not what you are and to hell with the others that don't accept that

Answer 7

Good question. Jay Leno had a joke that said there are 3 groups that are safe to make fun of. Fat people-handicapped people and old people. I'm so lucky-I qualify for all three.

Answer 8

FlowerKing, I'm not sure that it IS OK to denigrate/stereotype because of stature, or any other attribute that's a bit outside the ordinary. And I really recall only one such instance on account of height in my entire life:

The exquisite and cultured Peggy Dyson-Kobb was in the midst of an argument with program director Norm Schmidt during her classical music show one day on WFFV radio. Schmidt was criticizing her attire - a lush, full length, raw cotton gown. "Why do you women always wear such weird stuff to work?" he asked, sarcastically.

Peggy looked at him, remained quiet, then said, "Norman, you're short!"

He was short; barely 5'.

And that was over 25 years ago, and was simply a fair exchange of simple insults. Other than that, most of this kind of "sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me" name-calling seems to be in the domain of children.

So, I guess I'm wondering if you are, yourself, a target of this, or know someone who is.

As to the other categories of denigration and stereotyping (race, religion, etc.) all that you mention apply to groups or affiliations which cannot lawfully be used to discriminate against people; the rights of such folks as you've named are constitutionally guaranteed. And that's because all of them carry impressive histories of oppression or exclusion of one kind or another, at one time based solely on their status as a race, church member, etc.

But there's something else -and you touch on it when you mention "stereotype." The mere mention of the stereotype calls to mind (for those who believe such hog-wash) an entire host of presumably intrinsic defects: laziness, dishonesty, militancy, low intellligence, bad morals, etc., etc. And so, merely being IN such a group is taken to suggest a whole host of bad things -which of course is silly and not at all true.

And that's what separates them from folks who are tall or short or thin or fat. Your stature says nothing (that I'm aware of) about your politics, honesy, intelligence, character or other more meaningful attributes. That said, I do notice that many folks think "people of large size," have the character flaw of "lack of will," proven by the fact that they are big. But that's the only case I know that comes close to stereotyping, and it has become that way because the overweight folks are starting to get fussy when they're refused service or excluded from something because of size -and are going to court about it. Other than that, however, I can't think of any automatic mental connection between being tall, for example, and thus being stupid, dirty, lazy and a "damned Republican."

As to the "OK" part of it: making fun of anyone for an intrinsic phsyicakl or cultural attribute or identity is never OK; it implies much worse things about the accuser than the accused. But the race, religion, creed, etc. attack not only is a personal violation, but also potentially a constitutional one as well -it can get you in a helluva lot of trouble. Serious no-no.

And that brings us to normative cultural expressions, and the very saccharin concepts of "political correctness." Such socially enforced and pale attempts at etiquette in the public sector, especially among political figures, is nothing but a bunch of clap-trap pandered by spineless, yellow bellied, holier-than-thou, self-centered, vapid, morally bankrupt, cretinous idiots.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Answer 9

short guys can still make fun of short guys

just like ethnicity of one decent or another can do the same for like ethnicity

this is a good question, its like asking, why is it ok for women to make fun of men but men cant make fun of women? (even though I'm a woman and think its funny when i hear 'make fun of men jokes'...)

Answer 10

b/c each person is different and you cant or sould i say shouldnt lump every one of a certain race, gender, ect. into the same group just b/c of what some people of that "group" do. that and it can and many times is offinsive