Stereotype threat!

Dear all,

Trust the New Year is treating you well and all are staying warm!

Recently, I happened to hear a research report on a notion which have been lingering in our society for a long time, a concept quantified two decades ago- Stereotype threat. It is a risk of confirming the negative stereotype about one’s group. Some typical pre-conceived notions: “Christians and Science don’t get along, women perform low in math… If one is reminded of the stereotype, they perform low in their abilities. If you are reminded of the sex in a math test, the score differ for men and women; or, if you are reminded that you are a Christian, your performance in the scientific reasoning goes down (This may change now. Pope Francis’ recent efforts to bridge the gap between “people of reason” and “people of faith” echoes the alliance of reason and faith; and science and faith are no more at odds. Science is a gift. Genesis is science, it is a fast forwarded evolution. Humans, however, are not a random product).

 How many other stereotypes we have created. Men’s birthday (fathers’ days too) gifts are, often, lawn mowers, grills (the grill my wife presented is unused in my backyard for the last four years) and “fancy wrenches”; TV and electronic games (oh…yeah…we do not do house chores). Blaring radio and TV advertisements for fathers’ day are, mostly, from Lowe's, Home Depot, Sears and Menards. And for women: flowers, fragrances, dinner at fancy restaurants…Social scientists have not yet studied the negative influence of these stereotyping and these are bound to continue! I recently followed a discussion on the Facebook on “how to engage men” workshop themes. Ideas ranged from “make stuff”, “make the world a better place by recycling”, “build things”, “wine and anything”…really?? Is that all men can do?? Anyway, that is not my point.

I have always been intrigued by the fact of low participation of men in yoga classes in the West. Is it a stereotype threat? Cannot stretch, cannot bend, cannot focus…Traditionally, most yoga classes were attended by men. Spirituality was almost “exclusively confined” to men. Things are very different in the West; yoga studios are yet to attract men. Once somebody told me that he is unable to come to yoga because he can’t practice brahmacarya (I have written in the past why brahmacarya became such a predicament for men) My experience in teaching yoga and interaction with my students is that women seem to be more spiritual (and yoga oriented) and men more physical. In classes mostly attended by women, I tend to deliver the practice more spiritually. On the other hand, when the class has higher number of men, I may go little physical. I did type them.

It is time for us to change; it is time for us to define yoga clearly. It is the ability to refine body, mind and spirit. It’s our ability to reunite them as it was in the beginning. It is our calling to reach the divinity; “it is an awakened state of nostalgia”. Why would one exclude men from that union? There is a yogi in every men. Give a brake to up-plank, chaturanga, shoulder stand, headstand for men; add few hip openers to them; use “let it go” kind of words and essential oils for them too. I am sure men could handle them well.

Have you ever been a victim of stereotype threat? Or, do tend to stereotype others? Love to hear from you.

Jay