Stereotype

A stereotype is a fixed, oversimplified idea about a group of people that is treated as true for everyone in it, ignoring individual differences. LGBTQ+ people face many such assumptions: that gay men are effeminate, that lesbians are masculine, that bisexual people are promiscuous or indecisive, that transgender people are confused. These beliefs flatten real, varied lives into a caricature and can fuel discrimination, erasure, and self-doubt. Even a stereotype that seems positive still boxes people in by expecting them to fit a script. Pushing back on stereotypes means recognizing each person as an individual rather than a stand-in for a whole community.