I grew up in Greenwich, CT, which sometimes can be compared to the Beverly Hills of New England. Greenwich is known for its wealth. It all sounds pretty glamorous. But, growing up, I was surrounded with stereotypes that have made me wish I grew up somewhere else.
My family was not wealthy. We were by no means impoverished either. We are normal! We drive Hondas, do our own yard work and clean our own house. No, my mother is not a former super model, and no my father does not work on Wall Street. I never had a nanny and we do not have a maid (as my mother likes to remind us). I never wore designer clothes or had a driver bring me to school. I have student loans, just like everyone else and I am not a trust fund baby. My life was not glamourous. My life is normal and my residence does not indicate otherwise. As ridiculous as it may sound, these types of clarifications need to be made.
I’m not saying the stereotypes are not true. After all, stereotypes are developed from truth to some degree. It is true that there is quite a lot of wealth in my town and it is true that a lot of people have the same aesthetic. If one were to drive to my old high school parking lot, they’d see expensive Audis and perhaps even a brand new Camaro. But that's not to say you also would not find a beat up Subaru or an old Honda. If you walk down Greenwich Avenue, you’ll see plenty of women wearing designer clothes while their nanny takes care of her children. But, you also might see teenagers with their friends, or a couple dining out.
I can still remember a specific incident where my mother took us to the orthodontist. She was checking in my sister. My sister has light features; blond hair, blue eyes, and my mother has darker features. I will never forget the receptionist assuming my mother was my sister’s nanny simply because of the differences in the color of their features. I guess what I’d like to clear up is that not everyone lives up to the stereotype and my family is proof of that.
These stereotypes used to bother me. It was annoying meeting someone outside my town who would often assume I was a certain way just because of where I live. I remember entering college and telling people where I was from, I was met with a condescending “oh...isn’t everyone there rich?” I remember trying to explain that I’m not one of those people. Even if was… so what? As long as someone is a good person, does it really matter what type of car they drive, what size house they live in? People should not be defined off the number in their bank account, and no one should have to be stereotyped because of their residence. People should be defined by how they treat other people and the things they do that actually matter.
