NOTTSGEN-L Archives

Archiver > NOTTSGEN > 1998-06 > 0896746339


From: Concetta M Franco< >
Subject: Stereotypes
Date: Mon, 1 Jun 1998 19:12:19 -0500


Hi all,

Sorry to bring this up, but I have to vent. I apologize if I offend
anyone in particular.
Cetta and I have been working on our genealogy project for two years now.
We've hit a few bumps, particularly when I found I had a different set
of parts than she did. But other than that, we've done okay.

The problem I would like to discuss is the fact that no matter how
responsible Cetta and I are, we are always stereotyped into "Evil
Teenagers". The people at the FHCs refuse to help us because they're
afraid we'll attack them with our vicious pencils or something. People
continually talk down to us via email because they know we are kids and
expect us not to know a darn thing about an adult topic, such as
genealogy.

The truth is that Cetta and I know more than pretty much everyone who
lives around us. NO ONE is interested in my town, and pretty much no one
is Cetta's town. People assume that because adults aren't interested, it
must be a really stupid thing to get into. I just don't get it.

Do any of you have an answer to why people do this? Are you guilty of it
yourselves?

Once again, I apologize, but this whole stereotyping business is starting
to really get on my nerves. Why is okay for adults to get into genealogy
and be taken seriously, but teens and young adults are treated as if they
are violent criminals and should never be taken seriously, especially
when it comes to an adult activity such as genealogy?

Kevin, IBSSG

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