In the video about unconscious bias, Yassmin Abdel-Magied illustrates the concept by discussing stereotypes related to professional fields. Having heard of a surgeon, many people assume that it is a man, and I have witnessed several similar situations relating to other activities (TED, 2015). For instance, there is one modern artist that has a very specific art style and actively uses grim humor in her works. I showed multiple pictures by this person to my friend, and she appreciated all of them.
Later, my friend was really surprised to learn about the artist’s gender from me and said something like, “For some reason, I have always thought it was a talented and funny guy.” My conclusion is that it has to deal with numerous negative stereotypes about “female humor” that never deserves attention and cannot focus on something besides relationships or traditionally feminine hobbies and occupations.
It is of utmost importance to recognize the problem of unconscious bias and take action to reduce its impact on judgments and the process of decision-making. In general, I believe that unconscious bias can be reduced by getting new knowledge, and the case discussed above is not an exception. Concerning that situation, what could be done includes mentioning the artist’s name to avoid misunderstanding or helping to expand the friend’s perspective on women’s ability to make funny jokes.
For instance, being aware of the types of jokes appreciated by my friend, I could tell her about other female artists or comedians that she might like, thus challenging her stereotypical perceptions. I suppose that the proposed actions could also help reduce prejudice and stereotyping in that particular case. It is because the new examples of female comedians and artists would encourage my friend to alter her worldview. Before voicing some stereotypical opinions about women and humor in the future, she would remember our conversation and multiple examples disproving her initial point.
Reference
TED. (2015). What does my headscarf mean to you? Yassmin Abdel-Magied [Video file]. Web.