Microaggressions

Microaggressions are things we say or do — even if we don’t mean to — that send negative and hurtful messages to people because of race, gender, class or other factors.

Microaggressions are subtle, like asking someone what country they’re from. It seems innocent but tells them they don’t belong – that they are an outsider. Whether they are intentional or not, microaggressions are rooted in bias and can negatively affect people’s mental and emotional health.

Microaggressions are just as harmful as overt forms of discrimination.

Research shows that more subtle forms of discrimination, such as microaggressions, are just as harmful as overt forms of discrimination. Microaggressions are a real form of discrimination and erode our sense of belonging to one another.

LET’S LOOK AT SOME EXAMPLES

One example could be a white person telling her Black colleague, “You are so well-spoken.” While this person may not have had ill intentions, she is sending the message that she did not expect her colleague to be articulate, which reinforces the racist idea that Black people are intellectually inferior to white people.

Another common example is the assumption that a woman in scrubs must be a nurse rather than a doctor. This assumption is rooted in sexism and sends the message that women are less capable and intelligent than their male counterparts.

The first step to addressing microaggressions is recognizing them when they occur and understanding the harmful messages being sent. Learning to be empathetic to other peoples’ lived experiences and educating ourselves about racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and other forms of prejudice is foundational to addressing microaggressions. This can start with addressing your own bias and working to become anti-racist.

It should not be the sole responsibility of people from marginalized communities to address microaggressions.

All too often those who experience microaggressions are put in a situation where they have to educate those in positions of privilege and engage in emotional labor to address bias and discrimination.