Well, first I want to say that there is a difference between a generalization and a stereotype. A generalization would be saying that since a tennant of Baptists is "once saved always saved" it's a pretty good guess that most of them will think that I was never a Christian in the first place, just because I am not anymore. This is a very logical deduction, because that is what Baptists believe. Therefore, if I meet one of them, I will try to avoid talking about religion because I can guess that if they wish to discuss it as well that I'll probably be told that I was never Christian in the first place.
A sterotype would be coming to an arms dealership that's just been robbed and assuming that the someone from the nearest minority ghetto was the perpetrator. The difference is that generalizations are something that humans use to either try to predict someone's actions, or prevent harm from coming to themselves whereas a stereotype is thinking that because a certain group used to be a certain way that they still are, even though they may have changed, or that the majority of a certain group acts a certain way, therefore they all do. The latter is just wrong.
Generalizations are useful, stereotypes are harmful. That is the greatest difference between the two. Now that I've cleared that matter up, I'll continue to my actual point. There are three major reasons that I have identified as to why stereotypes exist today. The first comes from religious conviction. My former pastor once spoke of a camp, I think it was supposed to be in Idaho, where homosexuals would try to "convert" non-homosexuals. I highly doubt the validity of it, but for the purpose of my argument, let's just assume that it's true. He therefore concluded that all homsexuals were out to "convert" people to their ways.
This is unsound for two reasons. First, he did not mention a motive for the homosexuals to convert, and that most likely means that he doesn't know himself. There may have been special circumstances in which it was actually a good thing to do. The second reason is that it is completely illogical. Just because 'a' sometimes equals 'b' doesn't mean that it always does. But, his religious conviction allowed him to take an event (if the original event is even true) and twist into a stereotype so he can feel better about believing in the religion he does. Thus, this religious conviction is reason number one as to why stereotypes exist.
Reason number two is that because something may once have been true about a certain demographic, that people assume it to still be true. A good example of this would be African-Americans and education. In the days of African slavery, slaves were not only allowed to be educated, but even if they were, would most likely not have the time due to all their chores for whatever family they served. Even after slavery ended, it was still hard for African-Americans to get a good education (there are places where that is still true today, but it is much easier now than it was 150 years ago). True education oppurtunities were not allowed to them until the end of segregation, which was not all that long ago. Thus we see something that was once true (African-Americans being uneducated) continue as an untrue stereotype into today's society.
The third and final reason that I believe that stereotypes exist today is because of generalizations. Like I said earlier, they are very useful to humans, but if they go too far, it can become very dangerous. My best example of this is Christianity. It is true that a good number of them are conservative. It is also true that a good number of them are creationists. It is also true that a good number of them are both. These are three generalizations about Christianity. However, this has turned into a terrible sterotype. Yes, a great deal of them are conservative creationists. But I know many that are conservative evolutionists. I know many more who are liberal evolutionists. I even know some who are liberal creationists. Unfortunately, those three groups are overshadowed by this stereotype that all Christians are Bible-thumping, conservative, creationists, and it's just not true. Thus, a useful generalization becomes a harmful and untrue stereotype.
I also believe that these three reasons apply to why it is okay to stereotype some groups, but not others. How many Caucasions have ever been oppressed? Other than the Irish, not many. Has there ever been a time in America's history when Christians weren't a majority? Not that I know of. When and where in the world have woman been superior to men? Hardly ever and not many, respectively. This is why today's society thinks that selective stereotyping is okay. Caucasions haven't been oppressed, thus it is deemed okay to stereotype them. This "reverse racism" (a term that I too hate, for it is racism all the same) is caused by the fact that whites have never had to deal with having racism used against them in the past, but have used it themselves many times. The fact that Christians have always been a majority in the US makes it okay to oppress the minority, because it's not a different race, just a different belief system. We may have nearly abolished racism against minorities in the states, but religious oppression has not gained full recognition in the government yet, thus the majority can oppress the minority.
Calling a group of woman a bunch of "nappy headed hoes" I think was the term used is viewed as atrocius, but saying that all men want is sex is perfectly fine. Once again, even during racism, the women were always struck harder than the men. They were oppressed for their sex and their color of skin. And even within the Caucasion population, the women have been greatly oppressed. Women's suffrage occured less than a century ago. So, instead of reverse racism, reverse sexism is implicated.
I find it ironic, that the reason these reverse stereotypes exist today, is because the original stereotypes existed yesterday. I guess somebody was right when they said that evil begets evil. The fact that stereotypes existed in the past is the reason that society accepts that they exist now. That is why selective discrimination/stereotyping is accepted today.
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