There is a contemporary cultural proclivity to attach the “hero” label to entire groups and occupations, such as nurses, teachers, social workers, firefighters, and members of the military. This label is meant to show support, appreciation, and even admiration, but are the consequences of heroization always positive? Conceptualizing the hero label as a pervasive positive stereotype, I utilize complementary methods and experimental designs to investigate the consequences of attaching this label to groups and occupations, finding that the hero label may yield certain negative consequences. In a first set of studies, I will present evidence that heroization encourages people to funnel group members into a limited set of lower paying jobs, organizations, and careers. In a second set of studies, I will present evidence that heroization strengthens expectations that group members would willingly volunteer for their own exploitation, and as a result, reduces public opposition to exploitative policies aimed at group members. This research not only offers new insights into pressing real-world problems but also offers the first experimental examinations of the consequences and implications of labeling groups of people as heroes.