Uncovering Microaggressions Flashcards
Racism, ableism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, and discrimination present in many forms and typically fall into two main categories. What are they?
Overt: identified in obvious ways such as violent attacks, purposeful exclusion, and verbal and physical harassment.
Covert: concealed or subtle and often difficult to observe and pinpoint.
What is a microaggression?
Microaggressions are defined as brief and daily exchanges that act as insults or send demeaning and belittling messages to marginalized groups
Overt racism such as calling someone a racial slur, or overt ableism is blatant and obvious and most people can’t imagine themselves actively participating in this type of discriminatory behavior.
However, when you assume a person of color is not an American citizen or compliment them on their English, or refuse to use a person’s preferred pronouns, you are exhibiting a microaggression.
Why is it important to learn about microaggressions?
Microaggressions seem small, but compounded over time, they can have a damaging impact on a person’s experience, physical health, and psychological well-being.
Subtle forms of interpersonal discrimination and bias such as microaggressions can be as harmful as explicit or overt expressions of discrimination. Research shows that trying to unravel the meaning or cause behind a statement and the level of frequency with which it occurs, creates stress, and depletes cognitive and emotional resources.
What are the types of microaggressions?
Microassaults
Microinsults
Microvalidation
What are microassaults?
Intentional behavior that is discriminatory through actions and slurs.
Ex: Using racial epithets or serving a white person before a person of color, although it was clear the person of color was next in line to be serviced.
What are microinsults?
Subtle verbal and nonverbal communications that:
- Convey rudeness and insensitivity and demean a person’s heritage or identity.
- Represent subtle insults, often unaware to the perpetrator, but clearly express a hidden offending message to the recipient.
Give a verbal and nonverbal example of microinsults.
Verbal ex: An employee who asks a colleague of color how she got her job, implying she was hired through affirmative action or filling a quota.
Nonverbal ex: A white teacher failing to acknowledge students of color in the classroom.
What is microinvalidation?
Communications that subtly exclude, negate, or invalidate the thoughts, feelings, experiences, and reality of a person in a marginalized group.
Microinvalidation exclusion ex: When a person with a physical disability is ignored or given poor service at a restaurant and shares their experience with a person without a disability and is told “I didn’t notice that” and “you’re being overly sensitive or petty,” the experience of the person is being diminished and voided.
Microinvalidation inclusion ex: Asking Asian-Americans where they were born, sending the message that they are foreigners in their own country.
What is the personal impact of microaggressions?
Although “micro” means “small,” each instance of microaggression has a big impact on a person’s employee experience, physical health, and psychological well-being.
The problem with microaggression is the impact or psychological bind on the affected person. Dr. Sue indicates that the person (victim) may feel insulted but doesn’t exactly know why, and the person (perpetrator) who made the insult doesn’t acknowledge anything happened or is unaware that the incident was offensive.
What is the impact of microaggressions in the clinical setting?
Effect on patients:
- Alienation.
- Disparities.
- Workforce that doesn’t reflect them.
Effect on practitioners:
- Increase in burnout.
- Higher rates of depression and anxiety.
What can you do about microaggressions?
Recognizing microaggressions is a critical first step in learning how to deal with them immediately.
- Listen intently to the person on the receiving end.
- Show empathy to their feelings and how the microaggression impacts them.
- Make a conscious effort to not be defensive or dismiss the person’s feelings.
- Take responsibility for any underlying bias held toward certain groups.
- Take actionable steps to become more educated.
- Commit to recognizing and changing microaggression behaviors.
Recognize that language evolves over time and words that were once generally used may now be considered offensive.
Tips:
- Use people-first language.
- Remove gender from roles.
- Limit profanity.
- Avoid using slurs in conversation.
What does it mean to discern?
Determine how much of an investment you want to make in addressing the microaggression. When addressing microaggressions, consider the following:
- The importance of the issue and the relationship. If the relationship is important to you, don’t avoid the topic; instead, approach the conversation in a way that honors both parties and assert yourself in a way that acknowledges and clearly expresses your concerns.
- Your feelings. The hidden messages of microaggression can make you doubt yourself. Allow yourself to feel whatever emotion that rises—anger, sadness, frustration, or confusion.
- Perception. Deciding to speak up or remain silent can have consequences, and you must determine which matters most in each situation.
What does it mean to disarm?
Be prepared to disarm the person who delivered the microaggression, because they do not want to be perceived or revealed as racist or homophobic.
Feel comfortable in explaining that the conversation may become uncomfortable while you uncover the root of the issue.
What does it mean to deny?
Challenge the perpetrator to clarify their statement or action by asking, “What did you mean by that comment?”
This provides the opportunity for the perpetrator to explain what they meant and for you to further understand the intent.
What does it mean to decide?
You have the power to control what a microaggression will mean in your life.
Marginalized groups frequently encounter and navigate bias on a larger scale.
Protecting your peace from a microaggression can be a conscious and powerful act of resistance.
