The stories labels can’t tell

The shortcuts we use

When labels replace the person

In an article for The Saturday Paper, Stan Grant writes about the way public language can strip people of their humanity. Reflecting on political and cultural discourse, he warns against language that reduces people to abstractions or symbols rather than recognising them as fully human. He writes:

“It reduces people to an idea. They are no longer human but a point to be made.”

That line stayed with me because it speaks not only to politics, but also to education.

Schools are places where young people are constantly trying to answer the question: Who am I? At the same time, they are navigating the labels placed on them by peers, teachers, families, social media and society itself.

Sometimes labels offer connection and recognition. A diagnosis, cultural identity, sexuality, faith tradition or community affiliation can help a young person feel seen and understood. Labels can provide belonging, solidarity and access to support. They can create language for experiences that once felt confusing or invisible.

But problems arise when labels become totalising — when one aspect of identity becomes the whole story.

The assumptions beneath labels

On a recent episode of Insight on SBS, Jack Ayoub spoke about the assumptions people make once they learn a single fact about someone’s identity. He reflected on how people often presume an entire set of beliefs or values based on one characteristic alone.

Teachers see this dynamic often. Students can be stereotyped according to culture, gender, religion, ability, sexuality, academic achievement or behaviour. Sometimes these assumptions appear harmless. Sometimes they are deeply damaging. Either way, they flatten complexity.

A student becomes:

“the refugee student”
“the disruptive boy”
“the quiet girl”
“the athlete”
“the ADHD kid”

And once a label settles, it can become difficult for people to see beyond it.

This is one reason activities exploring stereotypes and identity can be so powerful in classrooms. In one of our online courses for teachers, we included the “Just Because…” poetry activity, where students challenge assumptions attached to aspects of their identity.

The structure is simple, but the invitation is profound. It creates space for students to say:

You do not know everything about me.
I am more complicated than your assumptions.
My identity cannot be reduced to a stereotype.

Beyond assumptions

This work also connects to conversations about generalisations and implicit bias. Statements like “He’s Asian so must like Maths” or “boys don’t enjoy poetry” may sometimes be spoken jokingly, but they still reveal how quickly assumptions can harden into expectations.

Importantly, this is not about pretending difference does not exist. Nor is it about avoiding difficult conversations. In fact, Ayoub makes a compelling point that genuine dialogue requires not only the right to speak, but also an obligation to listen.

Perhaps that is part of the challenge for educators today.

How do we create classrooms where students can speak about identity without being trapped by it? Where belonging is possible without demanding conformity? Where curiosity is stronger than assumption?

In a world increasingly shaped by polarisation, slogans and instant judgement, schools have an important role to play in helping young people resist reductive thinking. This means encouraging students to question stereotypes, examine labels critically and remain open to the complexity of other people’s stories.

Because every student carries experiences, contradictions, relationships and histories that cannot be captured in a single word.

And perhaps one of the most important things education can teach is this:

A label may describe part of a person’s story. But it can never tell the whole story.

Notes

Stan Grant is a prominent Australian journalist, author, and theologian. He proudly identifies as a Wiradjuri, Kamilaroi, and Dharrawal man. He has written several books including “Talking to My Country” and “On Identity,” where he reflects on the burden placed on Indigenous people to choose between “black or white” and advocates for a broader, more inclusive, and loving understanding of humanity.

Jack Ayoub is an Australian Workers Union (AWU) organiser and former political candidate. He identifies as having Indigenous Australian heritage through his paternal grandmother, alongside Arabic roots through his family name. He has written publicly about navigating a multiracial identity, growing up with Indigenous family roots while being fair-skinned with red hair.

Additional Resources

Student Activities

Designed for lower secondary students, our free online interactive module, Making Assumptions, students are invited to reflect on how we can all make assumptions based on judgements and bias.

Professional Learning

Explore how you can explore stereotypes, assumptions and labels with your students, in our free online interactive module for teachers, Cohesion in Diversity: Developing Cultural Awareness.

Further Exploration

Foundation for Change. (2024, March 4). The double-edged sword of labels.

About the Author

Kathleen (she/her) is a former primary school teacher, born on Mandandanji Country in Roma and now living and working on Kabi Kabi/Gubbi Gubbi Country on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Her family came to Australia from Scotland and Ireland in the late 1800s. Kathleen’s work as an educator reflects her commitment to social justice, peace, democratic processes, and sustainability.

Copyright
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Stage: All
Curriculum: All
Topics: Labels, Assumptions, Stereotypes