What is microaggression?
Microaggression is a term used to describe various behaviors, usually an everyday exchange that cues a sense of subordination based on one of the social identities, including race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, nationality, religion, and disability.
As defined by Derald Wing Sue, "Microaggressions are everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership."
Microaggression could be as explicit as using specific language to refer to a racialized group and as implicit as providing men more opportunities to speak or the lack of representation of international perspectives.
This means microaggression could be everyday, subtle put-downs directed towards a marginalized group, either verbally or nonverbally, intentionally or unintentionally, and could demean a person's social identity. In addition, the person sending the message might not even realize it is a microaggression.
Types of Microaggressions
Microaggression can take several forms and is usually categorized into the following three types:
Verbal: A verbal microaggression could be a comment or question that is hurtful or stigmatizing to a group or person. For example: "You are so smart for a woman."
Behavioral: A behavioral microaggression could involve behaving in a way that might be hurtful or discriminatory to a group or person. For example: Conveying inappropriate humor in class that degrades students from different groups.
Environmental: An environmental microaggression is when subtle discrimination occurs within society. For example: When a college campus only has buildings named after white people.
Forms of Microaggressions
Psychologist Dr. Derald Wing Sue and colleagues have defined three classifications of microaggression:
Microassaults: This is when a person intentionally behaves in a discriminatory way while not intending for it to be offensive. These actions are usually deliberate and are characterized by an intent to cause harm through the exclusions or demands of someone else. An example could be, telling a racist joke and saying, "I was just joking."
Microinsults: This is a comment or action that is usually unintentionally discriminatory. This could also be the repetition of attitudes that demean another person's background. For example: Saying to a doctor of a certain ethnicity, "Your people must be so proud."
Micorinvalidations: This is when a person's comment invalidates or undermines the experience of a group or person. These actions dismiss the relevance of a person's expertise connected to identity. For example, A white person telling a Black person that "Racism does not exist in today's society," students or teachers dismissing the relevance of race to a course discussion.
Basis of Microaggression
Racial microaggressions
These microaggressions are a subtle yet widespread form of racism. Some researchers define them as "brief, everyday exchanges that send disintegrating messages to People of Color because they belong to a racial minority group."
This form of everyday racism could have a devastating effect on communities and individuals. Yet, most often, the dominant person who uses this microaggression is unaware of its impact.
Some examples of racial microaggression could be the following:
Serving a white person right away without checking who was there first
Denying that racism exists
Accusing the other person of being oversensitive when a microaggression harms them
Saying, for example, "The best person should get the job, regardless of race," as this does not take into account structural or institutional racism
Sexist microaggressions
These microaggressions reflect prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination against a person because of gender. More often, they are directed by males toward females.
Some examples could include the following:
The use of sexist language
Denial that sexism exists
Assumptions about gender roles
An assumption that another gender is inferior
Institutional factors such as a pay gap or glass ceiling for promotions
Misogynistic microaggressions
This is another type of gender-based microaggression directed by males towards females. These microaggressions can reflect an ingrained prejudice toward, dislike, or contempt for females.
Some examples could include the following:
Sexist humor
Actions that reflect objectification
A language that reflects objectification, like comments or assumptions about clothing and behavior
Assumptions of inferiority
Refusal to take on specific roles due to the belief that they are strictly for females, like, caregiving
Heterosexist microaggressions
Heterosexism was once called "Homophobia." The term became inaccurate because it refers to irrational fear rather than systemic and interpersonal discrimination and marginalization.
Heterosexist microaggressions are sexuality based. They target people with various sexual orientations.
Some examples of heterosexist microaggressions could include the following:
Using derogatory terms
Making assumptions about people's sexual orientation
Moving away from people or excluding them from discussions
Telling someone that they don't "look" or "seem" like their identity
Accusing people of being oversensitive
Suggesting that a person is not a "real" man or woman
Saying, "I'm not homophobic, but…."
Keeping quiet when a microaggression is directed against someone else
Types of Microaggressions
in Classrooms
Students or adults within the school community may exhibit microaggressions in the form of insults or insensitivities. As reported and documented by students, the following are offered as an example for reflection to raise awareness and sensitivity towards creating more inclusive and supportive classroom and school environments:
Failing to learn to pronounce or continuing to mispronounce students' names after they have corrected you.
Scheduling tests and project due dates on religious or cultural holidays.
Disregarding religious traditions or their details. (Ex. Impacts of fasting)
Setting low expectations for students from particular groups, neighborhoods, or feeder patterns.
Calling on, engaging, and validating one gender, class, or race of students while ignoring other students during class.
Assigning student tasks or roles that reinforce particular gender roles or don't allow all students flexibility across roles and responses.
Anticipating students' emotional responses based on gender, sexual orientation, race, or ethnicity.
Using inappropriate humor in class degrades students from different groups.
Expressing racially charged political opinions in class, assuming that the targets of those opinions do not exist in the class.
Using the term "illegals" to reference undocumented students.
Hosting debates in class that place students from groups who may represent a minority opinion in class in a difficult position.
Singling students out in class because of their backgrounds.
Expecting students of any particular group to 'represent' the perspectives of others of their race, gender, etc., in class discussions or debates.
Denying students' experiences by questioning their stories' credibility and validity.
Assigning class projects or creating a classroom or school procedures that are heterosexist, sexist, racist, or inadvertently promote other oppressions.
Using sexist language.
Using heteronormative metaphors or examples in class.
Assuming the gender of any student.
Continuing to misuse pronouns even after a student, transgender or not indicates their preferred gender pronoun.
Complimenting non-white students on their use of "good English."
Discouraging students from working on projects that explore their own social identities.
Asking people with hidden disabilities to identify themselves in class.
Forcing students with non‐obvious disabilities to "out" themselves or discuss them publically.
Ignoring student‐to‐student microaggressions, even when the interaction is not course‐related.
Making assumptions about students and their backgrounds.
Microaffirmations
Microaffirmations are small acts that are often ephemeral and hard to see, public and private events, often unconscious but very effective, and occur wherever people wish to help others succeed. They are tiny acts of opening doors to opportunity, gestures of inclusion and caring, and graceful acts of listening. These affirmations lie in the practice of generosity, in consistently giving credit to others – in providing comfort and support when others are in distress. (Rowe, 20078, p. 46).
Powell, Demetriou, & Fisher (2013) distilled micro-affirmations into tangible actions that can be applied to challenging and affirming experiences. Summarized here, these practices emphasize:
Active Listening
Active listening focuses on hearing clearly what is being shared, and is demonstrated through eye contact, open body posture, summarizing statements, asking qualifying questions to ensure understanding, etc.
Recognizing and validating experiences
This type of micro-affirmation involves elucidating the what, why, and how. It is helpful to delve deeper by identifying and validating a student's constructive behaviors to manifest or respond to the experience, expressing care about the event's effect, and demonstrating a willingness to think through a productive path forward.
Affirming emotional reactions
These micro affirmations involve verbal acknowledgment for people that they have experienced something exciting, frustrating, hurtful, etc., and enable the conversation to focus on turning those feelings toward actions that will empower individuals and foster learning.
Sources
"Examples of Microaggressions in the Classroom - RIT." Web. 24 Nov. 2022.
"Explore Brown University." Microaggressions and Micro-affirmations | Sheridan Center | Brown University. Web. 24 Nov. 2022.
"Microaggressions in the Classroom - University of Denver." Web. 24 Nov. 2022.
"Microaggressions: Definition, Types, and Examples." Medical News Today. MediLexicon International. Web. 24 Nov. 2022.
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