I just read a post (on a paid membership blog site) written by a mom who is currently homeschooling one of her children due to the child’s diabetes. She says she was treated rudely by homeschoolers because she was not dressed in a skirt and blouse like other “homeschooling freaks”. Her t-shirt and jeans made her stand out and the freaks looked at her as if she were the freak. I was shocked and appalled, as I had been reading this persons blog for a while and they had never said anything so careless before. The comments were hard to dismiss because I had previously respected her opinion. What made it worse was that she was using homeschooling to her advantage while verbally slamming those who made it possible for her to homeschool in the first place.
How do we as homeschoolers deal with stereotypical remarks like this? For me, I made a comment stating that most of the homeschoolers I know wear jeans and t-shirts. I then accessed my own closet. Yes, I have lots of dresses and skirts, but my wardrobe is more artsy than schoolmarm. One day I might wear jeans and bohemian shirt, the next I might wear a floor length denim, hand painted dress. My wardrobe hardly makes me stand out as an obviously “freakish homeschooler”!
Sure, dealing with people who pigeonhole homeschoolers is disconcerting, but if we let the bait rattle us, then they win. The best way to deal with stereotypes like religion, socialization, ignorance, judgmental, and more is:
- Take into account where the comment came from. Put the comment into context with the commenter.
- Look at the greater truth. As my mother used to say, when my brother called me ugly, “Are you ugly?” ask yourself if the comment is true. Knowing that it is not, just move on.
- Do not take the bait. Many of these comments are made just to aggravate us. Just like my brother used to call me ugly to get me to argue back, they want to bait us into a ridiculous debate. Sure you should leave a brief and very intelligent comment, but beyond that, just ignore them.
- Move on with your life. A stereotype is a falsehood. Do not spend too much time worrying about it. Write a poem, a post, or a blog to help you get over it, then move on.
Read more about stereotypes on the following blogs:
Living with Stereotypes: All Jews Have Money
Dispelling Racial Myths In The Media
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