Microaggressions - 3/22
Microaggression is a term used for brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioural, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative prejudicial slights and insults toward any group, particularly culturally marginalized groups.
A lot of microaggressions can seem like harmless comments, but they can actually be quite harmful. Some examples of microaggressions are "You don't act black" or "You don't look like that race." While not saying these things to people might seem obvious to most, this problem exists in our society. When it comes to discussing the reality of this matter, it is important to realize that comments like this can do a lot of damage. One idea that the New York Times brings up that interests me is that discrimination, no matter how subtle can do a lot of damage. My opinion on this matter is that we need to educate ourselves what is okay and what is not okay. In a University setting, you are going to be presented with figures from a variety of different backgrounds. One thing to note is that everyone has a different upbringing. There are people who have had Suburban lifestyles and people who have had many hardships growing up. This is important to note because a lot of people try to make assumptions about upbringings that can be harmful. Assumptions should be a part of this discussion because they lead to a lot of problems. Race has nothing to do with someone's character. To assume that someone had a rough upbringing because of their race is a big problem
Another thing I would like to comment on is that people think that marginalized groups are overreacting to things of this nature. This is a problem because oppression has been an everlasting problem in our world. To invalidate the concern of minorities is dangerous because it shows signs that humans do not want to progress past this. While I can go on a rant for hours about racism and the issues surrounding it, I want to stress that these words have weight. Saying things like "I'm not racist, I voted for Obama," could be considered a microaggression in itself. The New York Times Article I discussed earlier makes some good points about how to respond to microaggressions. One of the best responses would be to ask someone what they mean by the statement they have just said. An example of this would be to ask for more clarification: “Could you say more about what you mean by that?” “How have you come to think that?” Asking questions is a good non-confrontational way to get someones POV. Another good response would be along the lines of, sharing your own process: “I noticed that you ___________ (comment/behavior). I used to do/say that too, but then I learned____________.” Like I said earlier, the key word here is educate. Everyone should feel the need to discuss injustices and rationalize their thoughts. It is the only way we will be able to understand each other throughout time.
A lot of microaggressions can seem like harmless comments, but they can actually be quite harmful. Some examples of microaggressions are "You don't act black" or "You don't look like that race." While not saying these things to people might seem obvious to most, this problem exists in our society. When it comes to discussing the reality of this matter, it is important to realize that comments like this can do a lot of damage. One idea that the New York Times brings up that interests me is that discrimination, no matter how subtle can do a lot of damage. My opinion on this matter is that we need to educate ourselves what is okay and what is not okay. In a University setting, you are going to be presented with figures from a variety of different backgrounds. One thing to note is that everyone has a different upbringing. There are people who have had Suburban lifestyles and people who have had many hardships growing up. This is important to note because a lot of people try to make assumptions about upbringings that can be harmful. Assumptions should be a part of this discussion because they lead to a lot of problems. Race has nothing to do with someone's character. To assume that someone had a rough upbringing because of their race is a big problem
Another thing I would like to comment on is that people think that marginalized groups are overreacting to things of this nature. This is a problem because oppression has been an everlasting problem in our world. To invalidate the concern of minorities is dangerous because it shows signs that humans do not want to progress past this. While I can go on a rant for hours about racism and the issues surrounding it, I want to stress that these words have weight. Saying things like "I'm not racist, I voted for Obama," could be considered a microaggression in itself. The New York Times Article I discussed earlier makes some good points about how to respond to microaggressions. One of the best responses would be to ask someone what they mean by the statement they have just said. An example of this would be to ask for more clarification: “Could you say more about what you mean by that?” “How have you come to think that?” Asking questions is a good non-confrontational way to get someones POV. Another good response would be along the lines of, sharing your own process: “I noticed that you ___________ (comment/behavior). I used to do/say that too, but then I learned____________.” Like I said earlier, the key word here is educate. Everyone should feel the need to discuss injustices and rationalize their thoughts. It is the only way we will be able to understand each other throughout time.
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