Rethink Stereotypes

Everybody is aware of the stereotype of the Deerfield Boy. There are people out there who really hate the stereotype, and although I see it can be frustrating, I don’t think that there is really a reason to get upset over it.

At the Culture Forum, no matter what the subject was, people seemed to get all up in arms, especially when we started talking dominant culture. I was this way too for a while, but recently I have thought about what the Deerfield Boy is, and it’s honestly not that bad. On the surface, the Deerfield Boy is coated in layers of Vineyard Vines and lacrosse, and then we sprinkle some adjectives like “bro” or more specifically “laxbro” on him.

Usually people stop here. To all the people who for some reason seem to have a deep emotional connection with this stereotype, I say, “So what?”

The Deerfield Boy stereotype is actually fairly good. Once you get past the superficial qualities, the specific co-curriculars and preferred clothing brands, the Deerfield Boy is hard-working, outgoing and, among other things, just a good person.

Yes, the significant majority of the world seems to see us as pretentious, but look at other boarding schools. In some form or fashion any school’s stereotype has a negative element. Deerfield is not perfect, so why would the stereotype be?

I don’t particularly like the Deerfield Boy, but I also don’t care. If people want to conform, that’s their own prerogative. I have said this before and I will say it ten thousand more times: we can’t go around bashing those who conform. If you don’t like the Deerfield Boy then please, go out and do something about it; don’t just complain.

If you don’t like the Deerfield stereotype please don’t just sit down. Because I don’t like it very much, I don’t let it define me. I’m part of a small group of males at this school who take theater very seriously, but I do theater because I want to,.

I live my life the way I want to, and as soon as we can get everybody to just do what they want instead of what everybody else does, then we will begin to re-craft the Deerfield Boy.