Some Thoughts

I've been meaning to make a YouTube video about this for a while now but I'm yet to do so, therefore I am going to try to express this in writing. (Which is also sometimes easier!)

Due to recent world affairs, discussion of racism, discrimination and equality has become a very common. 

In school we have had assemblies and watched videos on these issues and it has really got me thinking about where I stand with it. 

It really frustrates me when I see people sharing blatantly racist posts and photos that are supposedly supporting 'British Pride'. 

What does it really mean to be British? 

I think that the answer to that question has no solid answer. Each person who considers themselves British has a reason behind it, whether you were born here or whether you are now a citizen here, everyone has their own reason. 

However, discrimination stretches further than racism. 

People are discriminated against because of their race, their sexuality, their religion, their weight, their job, their class, their interests, their clothes, their gender, their age. The list goes on. 

Society has created so many different categories for people and so many different labels that it is almost impossible not to be associated with a stereotype in one way or another. 

Why should a person be defined by a stereotype that society has created for them? 

I watched a video the other day of a TED talk by an amazing woman that has made me think a lot. 

She spoke about 'unconscious biases' and how without even thinking we assume things about people with no proper reasoning to just because of what we know about their race, religion, gender or sexuality.

We judge people based on their labels, without even speaking to them. 

We develop preconceived ideas of people just by the stereotype associated with the label society has given them.

Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, interests, opinions and ways of life. 

What gives anyone the right to get in the way of that? 

People shouldn't be defined by their 'labels'.

Just because I like watching Pretty Little Liars doesn't mean I have an identical personality to everyone else who likes it too.

Just because I like pizza doesn't mean I'm exactly the same as everyone else who likes pizza. 

Just because I like listening to Bring Me The Horizon every now and again doesn't mean I'm their biggest fan and that's all I listen to. 

So why should people with certain beliefs, interests and ways of life be automatically generalised to fit the stereotype of what you've heard about other people with the same beliefs, interests and ways of life. 

As soon as people are put into categories, there will be conflict. 

Let's remove the labels.

Let's try and take people for who they are rather than who we think they are. 

Just a thought. 

'til next time, 

Hannah xo

Here's a link to the TED talk I watched : What does my headscarf mean to you?