Gross misconceptions/CW about your ethnic group or gender.

[Cuban_Liberal]

I'll start: "Those damned, dirty Mexicans/Cubans/etc."

My grandmother's, mother's, aunts', greataunts', cousins' and sisters' homes are so clean you could literally eat off of any flat surface therein, except the floor--- and even the floor, more often than not. This holds true for virtually every Hispanic home I've ever been in.

Next?

:hi:

[skygazer]

1. Clean, maybe, but lazy

Just kidding - that's one I hear all the time and it never fails to amaze me. Here in California, the hardest working people I see are all Mexican. They do almost all the landscaping, a lot of construction, not to mention working in the agricultural fields. I hate generalizations and stereotypes.

I'm pretty white bread myself (English/Irish on my dad's side, Italian on my mom's) but I'm from New England and people think of New Englanders as unfriendly. We're not but we do tend to be rather reserved and we don't waste a lot of time with small talk. We're always ready to help out a neighbor though and we have a good, if dry, sense of humor.

[Cuban_Liberal]

2. There's that one, too.

It always cracks me up (better than getting :grr: ). If they're so lazy, why is papi working 2 jobs, mami 1, and most of the kids p/t after school, if they're older than 10? Somehow, that fact never seems to register with some folks...

:shrug:

[mark414]

10. because people have short memories

and seem to forget that the wealth of our nation was, and still is, built on the backs of those at the bottom of the ladder

first it was the slaves, then it was the irish and other immigrants, now it's mexicans and other hispanics/latinos

USA! USA!

[Lisa]

43. that's because they're "lazy" AND "they take jobs away from us"

I actually heard a guy say this once. I thought that he must be using irony, since those two statements contradict each other. Alas, he wasn't.

[Rabrrrrrr]

3. That Germans want to take everything over and are on-time

When, in reality, all we want is to take over almost everything. There are some things we don't want. :-)

But we are always on-time. The real Germans, anyway. Same with the Swiss and the Japanese.

I like a punctual people.

[MikeG]

26. I'm German and I'm TAKING OVER this thread.

[JVS]

34. Punctuality is an important virtue

Not being punctual is a disgusting combination of sloth, self-indulgence and being inconsiderate.

It is being inconsiderate because you are wasting someone elses time.

It is being self-indulgent because you grant yourself permission to disrupt others

It is slothful because you could be on time with very little effort.

[Rabrrrrrr]

36. And that's why only the Germans, Swiss, and Japanese are on time

:evilgrin:

[JVS]

41. MAybe I get it from my family's German side, but I never heard of late...

Swedes either.

[Droolian]

4. That Scottish people are cheap or miserable.

And that people from Edinburgh are cold and unwelcoming. It's not true, dammit!

[VOX]

32. Aye, Ah kno wha' yer sayin, laddie...

Tha' Scots aer an unhappy lot. T'ain't a bit 'a truth tu it!

:thumbsup:

[skygazer]

5. Ah, and you said gender too

Do you have all day?

Let's see, that all women like to shop. (I hate it)
That women don't drive well.
That women are not interested in working on engines. (Love to)
That women are incapable of doing jobs like construction. (Worked construction for a number of years along with many other non traditional jobs).
That women naturally know how to take care of children. (We just learn on the job)
That women are all afraid of mice and spiders and snakes. (My husband squeals like a girl when he sees any of the above and I have to go and get them. Not afraid of any)
That all women want to be married.
That women can't shoot pool. Or guns.
That a woman can't do the things I've listed without "losing her femininity" (ask my hubby)

[Nikia]

22. I hate shopping too

That and enjoying science, sports, having career ambitions, and not being highly domestically inclined is proof to my evil mother-in-law that I am really a lesbian. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with being a lesbian. That was one of reasons that his mother gave to my husband though that he shouldn't marry me. She has also said that multiple times and seems to hate me for those reasons.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

6. indians are conservative

my grandmom was a judge and a feminist...what was yours?

typically shuts people up!

[sakabatou]

7. Let's see

We wear horns
We control the money of the world
There's a secret plot to put a Jew in every political seat
We are short tempered
We are all high-and-mighty
We killesd Arafat
We're responsible for 9-11

[mark414]

9. don't forget

you guys control hollywood and the media too

[Lisa]

46. and don't forget "stingy"

I used to date a Jewish guy who is the most non-materialistic person I've ever met. (Actually, on that we were quite compatible -- our idea of a good time was eating homemade sandwiches in the park. We were both such cheap dates -- contrary to the stereotypes about Jewish and Japanese people.)

He was always broke from giving money to people who were in need. (I picked up this bad habit from him, too.)

One day I caught him surfing a neo-nazi website. He was laughing hysterically and saying, "if only I really WERE in some giant incredibly wealthy and powerful international cabal -- maybe then I could get a decent-paying job!"

[mark414]

8. i'm not always drunk

or looking for a fight

that's only on the weekends

"tell that mick he just made my list of things to do this weekend"

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

11. Being a WASP, it's gotta be the "bigot" name.

I always feel like apologizing.

[Lisa]

12. Asian women and sex ...

I thought I had heard everything -- that we're completely submissive and therefore highly desireable; that we like to tie people up before having sex (I don't know how that squares with the prior statement); and that there are, ahem, significant anatomical differences ... but I'm still amazed when I hear some of the claptrap (if you excuse the expression) out there.

Not really surprised to hear that George W. Bush, in his younger days, had been keen on visiting Poppy in China so he could try out some of the local women. He's just that type of guy. But I have heard some otherwise-sensible, educated people repeating all kinds of bizarre misconceptions.

[Bunny]

15. I'll never forget when Alec Baldwin said that Chinese

ladies have sideways vaginas! It was on a SNL skit about when the US plane was shot down over China. I thought I would split a gut! Sideways vaginas! :D

[NewJeffCT]

49. anybody that thinks women from China are submissive

Anybody that thinks women from China are submissive has never met a woman from mainland China!

Now, on the other hand, that Chinese Dragon Lady stereotype... ;-)

[Kat45]

13. That we're all in the Mafia.

And we all love garlic.

We talk with our hands. (I don't see that limited to any particular group.)

And that same dirty/smelly stereotype you cited about Hispanics was also used for Italians in the earlier immigrant days. Heck, Italians were equated to blacks back then, and we all know how highly regarded blacks were. (/sarcasm) (It's probably used for every new ethnic group that comes here.)

[bigwillq]

14. Some of those are true misconceptions about us Italians

But I do love garlic and I talk with my hands.

And yes, my grandparents have told me that when they first came to this country, they were held with little regard and treated like second class citizens.

[Kat45]

28. I talk with my hands too, but so do lots of people who aren't Italian

As for the garlic, I only mentioned it because it is just so associated with Italians that every time I tell someone I hate garlic, they say, "And you're Italian?" They're shocked. And as someone who avoids garlic, I can say that it is liberally used in food from many nations, not just Italy. Actually, Italians are the ones who use it correctly, instead of over-using it, as many folks do.

[NewJeffCT]

50. I get that all the time

My grandfather was Sicilian, but was probably the hardest working, most honest person I knew. I don't even remember him speeding when driving...

But, every time I tell people that I'm part Sicilian, I get some "mafia" comment.

However, I do like garlic.

[Goathead]

16. That all Irish are drunks

That kinda pisses me off that some people really believe that and that people make jokes about it. I don't think that alcoholism is a laughing matter or something to be taken lightly.

[lpbk2713]

19. Or lazy or bad-tempered.

Damn Hollywood anyway.

[greatauntoftriplets]

29. Same here...

or that we want to fight all the time.

[DS1]

17. I have bad teeth

:eyes:

[Rabrrrrrr]

37. You're British?

[DS1]

47. Absolutely!

:7

[jonnyblitz]

18. I am a gay guy who HATES showtunes!!!

:P :hi:

[bigwillq]

20. Me too!

:hi:

Though I'm warming to a few.

[jonnyblitz]

27. it's cool.

I always preferred rock music (mainly punk) back in the day when I hung out in bars. It was a bitch sometimes trying to decide whether to go to the gay bar and hear cheesy diva house music or go to some punk bar. I eventually met gay punks who went to the punk bar also so it worked out. :hi:

I just never got into the showtunes, diva, cher thing. combat boots, mowhawks and "social distortion" for me.

[bigwillq]

31. Agree. I'm a pretty much straight acting straight looking gay boy

If you know what I mean.

But my mom and sis love the showtunes and certain songs I have gotten to like.

About the bar scene, I like dance/house/techno music, some of it can be classified as 'diva house" but believe me I'm far from being a diva!

[Goathead]

35. I watched that movie "Connie & Carla" last night

It wasn't that funny at all, and the stereotypes were a flyin'. Too bad, I really like Toni Collette. :-(

[jonnyblitz]

39. I never heard of it!!

I guess thats a good thing according to your review. I am still curious so i will google it. :hi:

[RagingInMiami]

21. I'm Colombian

you guys figure it out.

[mark414]

23. dude can you get me some 'caine?

[Cuban_Liberal]

25. you mean you're NOT a drug-crazed, violent, psychopathic killer?

:P

[KurtNYC]

52. You mean like in this documentary....

?

;-)

[RagingInMiami]

56. Great movie, but Tony Montana was Cuban

while Pablo Escobar, the most notorious outlaw of the 20th century, was Colombian.

[furrylitldevil]

24. That I can't dance

Even though I really can't, it still something someone shouldn't say without getting to know me first. :)

Besides, I like creating the music more than dancing to it.

[frictionlessO]

30. "only homos wear womens clothes"

uh not by a long shot there buddy!

[SarahB]

33. "Swedish women are oversexed"

That is entirely not true and it really offends me.

[NewJeffCT]

53. I thought Swedes were suicidal?

just kidding, of course.

[democracyindanger]

38. "Asians are good at math and science."

True story.

Junior year in college, Macroeconomics final. In a lecture hall that could seat 600, the 150 of us were told to space out. I'm one of the first to show up and take a seat. As more people arrive, I notice that I suddenly have five or six people sitting within a chair or two of me.

I know why they're sitting so close. And honestly, I couldn't really blame 'em. I mean, if you're gonna choose somebody to cheat off of in an Econ final and nobody's got a slide rule in their shirt pocket, I guess I was a viable second option.

Only problem was, I suck at math. I was lucky to pull a C- out, and that's with a lot of guessing. Bet my Econ fan club was surprised...

[Left Is Write]

40. Norwegians are thickheaded; i.e. Ole and Lena.

And Minnesotans of Norwegian descent walk around in parkas and boots all the time, going to lutefisk suppers, patting each other on the back and saying "You betcha!"

[JVS]

42. mmmm Lutefisk

[HEyHEY]

44. Canadians don't say aboot

[ikojo]

45. Jews are rich...

I am Jewish and FAR oh SO FAR from being rich....

I don't stand to inherit any money so I don't think I'll be rich in this lifetime.

[NoSheep]

48. I'm a blond Southern female over 40 who's never been married, no kids!

:dunce:

[NewJeffCT]

51. I'm part Polish

And, I'm usually not that dumb.

[WMliberal]

54. not all swede-americans are from the town near Lake Woebegone

to the Garrison Keilar fans out there.

[Politicub]

55. Gay people are promiscuous slutty hos

That one definitely isn't true for me and my partner. We've had a monogamous relationship for 10 years.

I'm not naive enough to think that there are no slutty gay men, but I also work with several women at my office who are into the whole sex in the city lifestyle thing.

[scarlet_owl]

57. "Mexicans are lazy". My grandfather had four jobs for nearly

50 years. He has just now retired, because of health problems, at the age of 70. Everyone in my family works their asses off, with the exception of me. I'm the laziest Mexican I know.