It was a random day in September, just over a decade ago, and everything seemed quite normal (as can be) on that old bluebird app. Then suddenly, someone tweeted three photos: a top knot bun hairstyle, oversized golden hoop rings and a Madonna-style lip piercing. Accompanying the photoset was a short, one-liner caption reading “The ‘I date black guys’ starter pack.”
The floodgates had been opened, Twitter went wild, and soon, people were posting their own versions of stereotypical “starter packs”. Around 12 November 2014, "starter pack" and "starter kit" each received more than 5.4 million and 640,000 mentions - in one week alone.
Years later, the trend is still alive. From dads to moms to dogs, and everything in between, there are starter packs out there to describe them all.
According to Know Your Meme, starter packs, also known as starter kits, are a series of multi-panel photo sets "meant to illustrate the archetype of a celebrity, company or subculture through a recommended selection of fashion articles, multimedia and other consumer products."
The site likens them to "steal her look fashion guides". And as Vice once reported, "It seems likely that with time and effort, one could find a starter pack for every person in the world."
While the "I date black guys" starter pack was hugely popular, and spawned thousands of spin-offs, it wasn't the first time the term "starter pack" was used. That prize apparently goes to a LOLcat image aimed at the age-old stereotypical Crazy Cat Lady.
As per Know Your Meme, the image featured "a box full of kittens" with a caption reading 'THANK YOU FOR ORDERING THE CRAZY CAT LADY STARTER KIT'.
Since starter kits are based on stereotypes, it goes without saying that some can be a little less than nice. That's why the online community r/StarterPacks has strict rules about what can and can't be posted by the 6.3 million members.
"No racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, or any general discrimination towards anyone of any race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexuality. You can mention them and discuss anyone you want, but do not turn it into a political argument or be a bigot," reads the page.
The admins also ask everyone to be civil towards each other, and warns against posting about politics: "Incidental political items in a starter pack are okay, but this sub is not an arena for political agenda posts or political arguments."
#13 "Why Are You So Quiet Now? You Used To Be So Talkative" Starter Pack
#15 Food’s People Simply Won’t Let You Enjoy How You Want To Starter Pack
The Britannica Dictionary defines stereotyping as "an often unfair and untrue belief that many people have about all people or things with a particular characteristic." Sometimes, stereotyping can be subtle, other times it's unashamedly in your face.
The Unstereotype Alliance is an industry-led coalition convened by UN Women. It recently found that three in four people globally regularly see or hear stereotyping. But only one in three will frequently say something to object to it. Half of those polled said they believe people keep quiet when they see someone using a negative stereotype "because they do not want to escalate the situation."
According to the Unstereotype Alliance, the most common stereotypes people experience relate to gender (57%), race and ethnicity (52%), sexual orientation (45%) and disability (45%). And close to two thirds of people surveyed said it's become a bigger problem in recent years.
“Shattering stereotypes requires defiance. It isn't always easy for people to speak out but, without change, damaging perspectives remain unchecked. We must all have the courage to stand up for what is right, and say something," said actress and activist Danai Gurira, who is spearheading the Unstereotype Alliance's 'Say Nothing, Change Nothing' campaign.
