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
