Don't Waste Time With Stereotypes

It’s easy for people to pick up a few characteristics about someone and categorize them into a stereotype.

For example, allow me to describe some traits and qualities of a man I know:

Likes romantic comedies
Enjoys snuggling
Has written poetry
Has platonic women friends
Cries openly, both out of sadness and joy
Doesn’t like working on cars or using tools
Is comfortable being a passenger in a car with a woman driving
Expresses his feelings without a gun pointed at his head or other threats
Has a gay brother and gay friends
Enjoys musicals
Enjoys decorating his home

Here are characteristics of another man I know:

Loves sports
Enjoys sex with his wife
Takes out the trash every weekend
Does work around the home that requires heavy lifting
Is an assertive leader
Sneaks a peek at other women when his wife isn’t looking
Doesn’t get the iconic status of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz
Enjoys science fiction and super hero movies
Has been “the provider” for most of his adult life
Did I mention he really enjoys sex with his wife?

Now let’s slot these into stereotypes. The first person is gay and the second is clearly a flaming heterosexual, right? Yes and no.

If the first person was gay, my wife would have some issues to deal with because I was describing myself. I’d also have to change the name of this blog, wouldn’t I?

I don’t have to worry about that however, because the second group of personality traits also describes me. My new friend Dennis, who recently began attending our church, says he believes everyone has some parts of being both straight and gay as part of their nature. If we limit our perspective to those classifications, I believe he is absolutely right and I put myself out there as an example of the truth in that.

Why have we fallen into the trap of trying to fit everyone into a slot? If we go back to the example of Jesus, we can see that he clearly did not do that. He ministered to sinners, Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, man or woman. He still does. Paul also shared some inspired wisdom in Galatians 3:26-29:

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

That’s the only category we need to worry about fitting into.