We all do it. We know we shouldn't but it comes into our minds and we can't stop it. You meet someone new, you take one look at him or her and you do it, you resort to stereotyping them. But stereotypes are constantly being challenged, though they are still an artificial barrier between major groups in society.
             The term 'stereotype' was first used in the eighteenth century to describe a printing process designed to duplicate pages of type. Today its meaning has changed dramatically. Today, we recognize stereotyping as a fixed conception of a group which is held by many people and which allows for no individuality or critical judgment. It is an easy way to categorise people and in our day-to-day lives we come across so many people that it is an easy tool, which enables us to sort, and file the many people we meet on a superficial level. Yet this way of thinking about and relating to other people is full of inherent dangers. Take the male of the species for example.
             Gone are the days of male dominated media industries composing stereotypes that are sexist and gross generalisations. The influx of females into the media industry has forced a reversal of roles. The contemporary media prefer to focus upon the changing stereotypes of the male species. The hard drinking, hard-living, macho man still saves the day fairly regularly. But media that appeal to women are more likely to portray men as bungling, incompetent fall guys in the workplace and in relationships. New male stereotypes have been predominant in news, TV drama, films, articles and advertisements for more than a decade and, men are now starting to protest.
             In other areas of the media constant portrayals of young males as drug-crazed, illiterate, unemployable, suicidal, failures at school sex criminals or vandals. Resulting in Adults tending to treat them more suspiciously and that causes them to become angry, frustrated or alienated. This is a gross ge...