Do you ever wonder how you are perceived as an individual to other people? Based on how society functions, stereotypes is something that actually drives people's thoughts and actions. Not that people should really care about how they are perceived by people they don't really know, but it is nice to be conscious of how you act around any and everyone you meet.
When I was growing up, my parents used to say "you never know who you may be speaking to/you never know who's watching". Believe it or not, that is something that I personally believe that we should all live by; not necessarily because of the whole stereotype debate, but just because it's important to know your place in the world, and if you want certain things in life (for example, a much better job, the respect of your current employers, etc), you need to be aware of how you're acting and how your statements are being taken by your audience.
Basically, it's paramount to the betterment of humanity to be consciously aware of our actions and statements. I know, it sounds slightly mundane, but think about this for a moment: imagine a society where people genuinely appreciated what each and every individual had to offer. We, as a human race, have a long way to go before that happens; however, that doesn't mean that it's impossible to achieve.