Breaking expectations

With the growing diversity in high school activities and hobbies, it is hard to imagine that stereotypes still exist in today’s society. However, there is still an ideal expectation of what certain genders should look or how they should act. Although individuals now have the freedom to choose what they want to do, there is still hidden pressure from society to conform to these images. This can create a suffocating environment for the students trying to break stereotypes.

One such West student is Caecilia Shoppa ’18, who is an active petitioner who petitions to prevent society from changing someone’s personality. “I have signed a ton of online petitions to break down gender stereotypes. Most recently I signed one to help this boy wear makeup in the show choir he performs in. They kicked him out of the group for wearing light makeup during a show which is so absurd,” Shoppa said. Shoppa has faced first hand criticism as well. “I’ve had old friends and even an ex boyfriend tell me that ‘I dressed too oddly’ or ‘My [eyeliner] wings are too long’ and even ‘Are you really going to wear THAT today?’ Things like that hurt to hear, but makeup is my passion. I have to have a thick skin,” Shoppa said.

Shoppa is not the only one taking a stance on stereotypes. Maddie Molina ’19 also chooses to dress how she wants instead of feeding into society’s views of what girls should look like. “I mean, just dressing how I want or doing my makeup however I want I feel is kind of saying something.” Molina said. Although she does find the confidence to be who she is instead of conforming to stereotypes, she agrees that it can be difficult to stand out and be different. “I can get looks if I wear certain things or wear my makeup a certain way.” Molina said.

Despite some people feeling comfortable going against these stereotypes, others feel discouraged to fight against the criticism placed on them by society. “I feel like [stereotypes] have definitely been molded into our culture, and we just try to paint over it like it’s not there, but it is still there. I definitely feel like in this age and century, we need to get over that because that’s not how it is.” said Damarius Levi ’18.

Levi isn’t the only one who believes stereotypes have become an everyday occurrence in our society. “A lot of it has to do with the media and how historically the media has shown men and women. I think there have been many societies where men and women haven’t been seen as equals,” said Jackson Elkins ’18. Elkins knows the temptation of conforming to society, but recognizes the importance of being your own individual. “In junior high and the start of high school I was very conforming to other people’s ideas of what I should be. Somewhere along the line I decided that I’m not happy with who I am, so I’m not going to be this person anymore. I decided [that] I’m just going to do me, and I’m having a great time now,” Jackson said.

Stereotypes do not only revolve around how certain genders should look; there are also stereotypes based on gender roles. “I feel like there’s lots of examples in our modern day society [of] how women are portrayed. There’s still places, even in America, where women’s roles are to be doing stereotypical women’s work, like in the kitchen,” Elkins said.

Levi agrees. “I feel like it’s always seen that men are supposed to be sporty and athletic, and women are more soft and elegant [but] I really don’t like that. It’s not true at all. I am a male and I dance, [don’t] play sports and do a lot of theater and arts,” Levi said.
While stereotypes can be broken, they may never really go away. “I feel like there will always be a different stereotype, but kind of like in the 60’s there was a stereotype for women to stay at home, and now there’s a different stereotype. I feel like it will get easier and easier as the years go by, but there will always be something there,” Molina said.

In the face of criticism, it can be hard to be true to yourself, but Shoppa stresses the importance of individualism and not letting society tell people what they can or can’t do. “I think my biggest piece of advice is to just do whatever the hell you want. Wear bold eyeliner. Wear purple eyeshadow. Wear so much highlight that you blind everyone. Because if it’s something that makes you happy, why let someone say that isn’t okay? They don’t know you. They shouldn’t get to judge. Just love yourself and do what you want to do,” Shoppa said.