" By the same token, a human resources manager might take one look at me and think "systems manager" because I'm Asian and I must be good with technology. Even if I were applying for a job as the in-house counselor or graphic artist, the stereotyping would affect my ability to be seen as a worthwhile candidate for the position. Stereotypes have affected the ways most Asians have been viewed and treated in American society. Just as Latina women have been viewed as "hopeless" or "vulgar" Asian men have often been viewed as "bad drivers." In both cases the stereotypes create prejudices and discrimination. Some stereotypes are inevitable. Some even ring true and because of this, the media can easily create the "one dimensional" caricatures...

114). While stereotypes are convenient ways to segment society and classify new people, they can also be harmful impediments of human relationships and interpersonal communications. Cofer shares her personal experiences about how "the myth of the Latin woman" impacted the way men spoke to her, even causing many to sing to her. The myth of the Latin woman also led one woman to mistake Cofer for a waitress when she was a writer. Stereotypes did not, however, prevent Cofer from channeling her anger into her academic work. She helps her readers look past stereotypes by explaining their origins and showing how too much gets "lost in…