Texas stereotypes (Dallas, Richland Hills, Italy: neighborhood, schools, live in)

[wdwilliams77]

What are the Texas stereotypes that other Americans and foreigners have of us?

[TXsurburbanmom]

Just watch GCB and you'll get them all tied up in one insulting nasty package. While the author of the book may have run up against those types of Texans in her N Richland Hills neighborhood (her words not mine) I'm really angry about the show because it encourages the ugly stereotypes the rest of the country has. And if you haven't watched it apparently we are: loud, trashy hypocrites who have big hair, too much makeup, cheat, backstab and I just got that from the promos!

[marcopolo2000]

Originally Posted by wdwilliams77

What are the Texas stereotypes that other Americans and foreigners have of us?

Think: George W. Bush and Rick Perry

[thenewtexan]

Fat, loud, slow, uneducated, cowboy hat wearing, tacky, gun carrrying, Bible beating, homophobic, racists. When I go back to MA, I always defend my state. The people here really do not seem to match that. Unfortunately, some of our politicians are falsely representing us on a national level. It's getting increasingly tedious.

Actually, I would not be surprised if Europeans though of all of America that way.

[ShellNic]

Originally Posted by thenewtexan

Fat, loud, slow, uneducated, cowboy hat wearing, tacky, gun carrrying, Bible beating, homophobic, racists. When I go back to MA, I always defend my state. The people here really do not seem to match that. Unfortunately, some of our politicians are falsely representing us on a national level. It's getting increasingly tedious.

Actually, I would not be surprised if Europeans though of all of America that way.

I agree that some of my relatives in other states have similar thoughts: Texans are lazy, uneducated, bible thumping racists. They don't say it all the time but it comes out in other ways. It's quite sad to me that a stereotype prevents them from visiting to see Texas for what it really is.

When I was in Italy (circa 1984), the BIG rage was the show Dallas and everyone I met wanted to know if I knew JR and Sue Ellen. From what I could tell then, a lot of kids thought it represented all of us. It's interesting to me that Texas invites so many non-natives to speculate. It's a huge state and like everywhere, it takes all kinds.

Ah, bless their heart...

[thenewtexan]

Originally Posted by ShellNic

Ah, bless their heart...

Ouch!

[SunnyTXsmile]

Originally Posted by thenewtexan

Fat, loud, slow, uneducated, cowboy hat wearing, tacky, gun carrrying, Bible beating, homophobic, racists. When I go back to MA, I always defend my state. The people here really do not seem to match that. Unfortunately, some of our politicians are falsely representing us on a national level. It's getting increasingly tedious.

Actually, I would not be surprised if Europeans though of all of America that way.

That's what most people I know think about TX, too (admittedly, including myself), until I kept an open mind (as I always try to do) and visited. I was happily surprised that I was wrong.

I think some of the very rural parts of TX are that way, but certainly not the entire state. Then again, most of the really rural parts of most states I've been to have been that way, so it's not strictly a rural TX thing.

As for people overseas, in my experience, they think Americans are like what they see on TV (aka Hollywood - rich, shallow, materialistic, easy, etc., etc. - basically, the same stereotype non-CA people have of CA).

It's a shame more people don't try to keep an open mind and visit a place before forming a solid opinion about it.

[SunnyTXsmile]

Originally Posted by ShellNic

I agree that some of my relatives in other states have similar thoughts: Texans are lazy, uneducated, bible thumping racists. They don't say it all the time but it comes out in other ways. It's quite sad to me that a stereotype prevents them from visiting to see Texas for what it really is.

When I was in Italy (circa 1984), the BIG rage was the show Dallas and everyone I met wanted to know if I knew JR and Sue Ellen. From what I could tell then, a lot of kids thought it represented all of us. It's interesting to me that Texas invites so many non-natives to speculate. It's a huge state and like everywhere, it takes all kinds.

Ah, bless their heart...

I agree about the part I bolded above. When I told people I was considering a move from the coast to TX, I couldn't even get them to consider coming to visit TX to pick a city before the move. Once they come visit me, I can't wait for the day to hear them say they were wrong about TX, even if it's only written on their face.

A lot of people on the coasts fool themselves into thinking they're so progressive and open-minded compared to other parts of the country. I only wish that were true to the degree people think it to be.

lol And now that I think of it, this entire TX stereotype reminds me of a funny saying: "A squirrel is nothing more than a rat with good PR." lol

TX surely needs better marketing, so I don't have to keep defending it.

[txtea]

What cracks me up is when they have a scene on a television show or movie that is set somewhere, anywhere in Texas, every single man in the crowd is wearing a cowboy hat, boots and an oversized belt buckle.

Well, I have to saddle up my horse and run to HEB for more chewin tabackie.......

[robertpolyglot]

Originally Posted by marcopolo2000

Think: George W. Bush and Rick Perry

EXACTLY, especially Rick Perry. GWB went to Ivy League schools. Perry is a local "good ole boy" through and through.

Aside from that, I think the big cities are just like other big American cities, but I think some isolated locales might be a little redneck. Heck, there are many redneck places in California.

For those who either don't know or live in another country, they think cowboys, cattle, rodeos, JR Ewing, women with big hair, oil money, and displays of bravura.