However, I do find that at times, with some of the seemingly timeless stereotypes, the effect they have on 'de-valuing' a person is still the same as it was even 10 years ago.
For example, teddy bears. Whilst I've always loved teddy bears, I have come across a number of people who raised the idea that the reason why I love teddy bears is simply because it's a "girl" thing.
Firstly, I can think up a lot of girls my age who may not necessarily write "Cute Fluffy Teddy Bears" in their Top 10 Best Presents That Could Realistically Be Given. So no, the statement stands to be corrected.
However, the more destructive aspect is when people then make the connection that because you like 'generic'/'stereotypical' things, you must be a 'shallow', 'generic' or even 'typical' female/male. In fact, sometimes it escalates to a point that they don't even seem to think that your likes/dislikes are significant, simply because they aren't 'original'.
The fact that I like teddy bears is not because it was a "girl" thing to do- I just simply like teddy bears. I like the fact that more often than not they're fluffy, cute, and nice to cuddle. Usually they're smiling too, which is nice when you're busy trying to imitate the life of a hermit and are suffering from "A Smile A Day From Something" deficiency. (Okay, just joking, JUST JOKING- I'm really not even close to contemplating the idea of being a hermit anytime soon)