Thought-Provoking Videos About Stereotypes, Identity, and Privilege
published March 17, 2026
by Catharine Hannay, founder of MindfulTeachers.org
Continuing the series of video playlists for teachers and teacher trainers, here are a variety of perspectives on how we label ourselves and others, and how we can support people who are different from us.
Teachers, please note: I’ve given brief descriptions to help you choose, but please watch the entire video before deciding a) what’s appropriate to share with your students; and b) the type of discussion that would be most useful in your context.
When People Mix Up Being Deaf and Blind
(5 minutes)
“Deaf YouTuber, Rikki Poynter, and blind YouTuber, Tommy Edison, talk about their experiences […] and how hearing, sighted, and abled people tend to […] get them confused.” (in spoken American English with optional subtitles)
What Are the Stereotypes of Your Country?
(3 minutes)
People from China, Turkey, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Nigeria, Sweden, South Africa, Poland, Italy, Colombia, Mexico, Pakistan, Iran, the UK, Australia, Peru, Iran and Brazil discuss the stereotypes others have about their countries, and whether or not they agree.
Men vs. Women on New Office Reality Show
(2 minutes)
A new reality series shows how men and women react in a competitive business environment. (This is a parody from sketch comedy series Studio C.)
(7 minutes)
A deaf woman and a hearing woman explain the concept of ‘hearing privilege.’ (In ASL with spoken American English interpretation and optional captions) The hearing woman mentions a previous video, “No More SLLs”: That’s a 5-minute explanation of why she decided to stop teaching ASL and take down her youtube sign language lessons.
Put Your Hearing Privilege to Good Use
(10 minutes)
In this TEDx Talk, Drisana Levitzke-Gray tells the story of what happened when she and her husband, who are both deaf, were hospitalized and treated by vastly different medical teams. (In Auslan, with spoken Australian English interpretation and optional captions)
Cultural Appropriation vs. Appreciation
(3 minutes)
Rosana Deerchild, host of the Unreserved podcast, explains why stereotypical images (like ‘Indian princess’ Halloween costumes) are so offensive.
The Dos and Don’ts of Disability
(3 minutes)
Michelle Middleton is a young woman from Liverpool who has cerebral palsy. She offers a few tips on how to interact with people with disabilities, interspersed with brief reenactments of the types of situations she commonly encounters.
(18 minutes)
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a novelist from Nigeria, discusses finding her literary voice and countering stereotypes about Africa:
“Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories […] If we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.”
The transcript is available at TED.com.
I Am Not a Monster: Schizophrenia
(14 minutes)
TEDx Talk by astronomer and mental health activist Cecilia McGough, who started a nonprofit to help fellow students with schizophrenia.
Who Can Identify as a Native American?
(10 minutes)
Tai Leclaire, a director, writer, and actor from the Mohawk Nation of Kahnawà:ke, discusses the various reasons people might be identified as Native, and who should make those decisions.
This is part of a series on “A People’s History of Native America.” More information at pbs.org.
(10 minutes)
Jessica Kellgren-Fozard discusses the assumptions people make about her and about deafness. (in spoken British English, with some signs in BSL)
I Was a Humanitarian… and I Regret It
When Hyram performed acts of charity in other countries, his lack of awareness caused unintended harm. He emphasizes the importance of understanding local conditions and tapping into local resources, rather than coming in from the outside with a fixed idea of how to help.
FYI, in the search description and toward the end of the video, he promotes a specific microlending organization. You might be interested in the article “Evidence on Microcredit: Rethinking Financial Tools for the Poor” from poverty-action.org.
Change a Life with Just One Swipe
(2 minutes)
A group of well-off young people in Africa love this new app. They can change the life of a suffering Norwegian with just one swipe. (This is a satiric video from SAIH, the Norwegian Students' and Academics' International Assistance Fund.)
(12 minutes)
Molly tries to welcome her new neighbor by acting the way she thinks people from Texas behave. The children realize they have a lot of mistaken ideas about each other’s home states.
You might be interested in the Molly of Denali educational resources, and/or in an article from Yes! Magazine about “The PBS Show Celebrating Alaska Native Communities.”
Growing Up in Poverty While Experiencing White Privilege
(13 minutes)
Tom Rietz experienced homelessness and the foster care system. In this TEDx Talk, he explains how sharing our personal stories can help us communicate with people who have different views. He also explains that there are multiple forms of hardship; our stories can complement each other’s rather than diminishing anyone’s lived experience.
(2 minutes)
An advertisement for “sizeless, style-neutral, gender non-conforming denim,” so everyone can buy the same product in order to express their unique identity. (This is a parody from the sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live.)
DeafBlind People Are Creating a New Language
(17 minutes)
Protactile is a new and evolving language created by and for the Deafblind community.
The video above is in spoken American English, with Protactile, audio description, ASL interpretation, and optional captions. The video is also available (without ASL interpretation or audio description) at pbs.org
You might also be interested in the book Touch the Future: A Manifesto in Essays, by John Lee Clark, one of the leaders of the Protactile movement, and/or an article in the New Yorker on the development of Protactile and the history of deafblind communication methods.
(3 minutes)
Explains different types of privilege, and how the same person can have some areas of privilege and some areas of disadvantage.
(13 minutes)
TEDx Talk by Lizzie Velasquez, who has a rare genetic condition that affects her physical appearance. “Once labeled, ‘The World’s Ugliest Woman,’ Lizzie decided to turn things around and create her own definitions of what she defines as beauty and happiness.”
Customer Service/“First World Hotline”
(2 minutes)
A man calls to complain about his new ice maker and is surprised by the questions he’s asked. (from the sketch comedy series Studio C)
You might also be interested in “Christmas Presents” on the Gratitude Video Playlist: a man wakes up Christmas morning and is thrilled with his gifts, including running water and hot coffee, not to mention a loving family.
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
Teachers, please note:
As with any personal topics, please respect your students wishes about how much to share with you and the group.
The more comfortable your students feel with you and with their classmates, the more likely these questions will lead to a reflective discussion.
Which is your most/least favorite video? Why?
Is there anything you strongly agree or disagree with in any of these videos? Why?
Were you surprised by any of these videos? Why or why not?
What’s your reaction to the word ‘privilege’? In which ways (if any) do you think you would be considered privileged, and in which ways (if any) do you think you would be considered disadvantaged?
Do you have friends or family who are privileged and/or disadvantaged in different ways from you? Do other people treat you differently from your friend(s) or family member(s) because of these differences?
How would you describe yourself? How do other people typically view you? Do you think other people’s view of you is accurate? Why or why not?
Related Posts
There are many more resources here at MindfulTeachers.org on
diversity, community, and compassion, including the following posts: