Type "homeless" into stock photos -- a regular task for journalists and photo editors -- and what turns up is oftentimes offensive or just plain ol' absurd (Read: hot models with strategically placed dirt on their faces).
Here's what stock photography would have us believe about homeless people.
1. Apparently, homeless people are mostly white men between 25 and 45 with great hair.
2. They have impeccable penmanship (and very nice manners), according to stock photos.
3. Homeless people are often ridiculously good looking, believe it or not.
4. Their cheeks are pretty much always filthy when being photographed...
5. ... but somehow their hands are always illuminated!
6. They eat only bread apparently...
Some indulge in fancy bakery bread.
Others just stick with the standard stale roll kind.
7. Homeless people just sit around sulking, stock photos tell us.
8. They take up the entire sidewalk, we're told.
9. And it seems they're either doing one of two things:
Asking for money...
or sleeping.
But really, at the end of the day, we could sit and complain about inaccurate photos, or we could do something about homelessness. Learn how you can help at the National Coalition for the Homeless.
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