I do the best that I can not to treat people unfairly. But, I still need work on my unconscious stereotyping.
I think people do it because we see it every where. We are taught that fat people are lazy. People who talk to themselves are crazy. I talk to myself and I am not crazy. I'm just a little weird.
I think people also sometimes do it to help themselves feel better about them selves. We also do it out of fear. We fear people who are different from us. I think we need to understand that fear and learn to get past our discomfort and get to know the person or persons. How does one do that? Talk to the person who seems to be lazy, scarey or whatever instead of insulting, teasing, stereotyping etc.
I feel sorry for the people who can't hide their weirdness when they want to. The mental health complex is on the bus route and I always wonder how the people getting off there feel. Are they self-conscious about being seen getting off there? I'm glad that my T is at the hospital where it is easier for me to keep it more private. (But, I suspect my employer and most my co-workers may have already figured out part of that secret because I cry at work all the time.)