Microaggression: Foul & Harm

Statements, comments, or questions that draw negative attention to group membership hurt, no matter how subtle.

The Harm and Foul of Microaggression

Subtle gestures and behaviors that harm are referred to as microaggressions. They imply inferiority and make the targeted person feel unwanted. They are emotionally hostile, whether intentional or nonintentional.

An occasional microaggression may be easily overlooked, and usually is. However, microaggressions are so small and subtle that hundreds of them can fit into a week’s worth of interaction at work, school, or even home. They often go undetected by innocent bystanders. The frequency is what wears on the mind and makes the target feel unsafe in the environment.

Microaggressions can occur in various relationships. Some men microagress against their wives. Some white people microaggress against people of color who are their friends. Some heterosexual allies microaggress against LGBTQ+ co-workers.

Microaggression typically strengthens the influence of the dominant group.

However, being a member of an oppressed group does not eliminate the potential to microaggress on another individual. One racial minority individual member may microaggress against an individual from another racial minority group, or against LGBTTQ community members.

Microaggressions stem from implicit or explicit biases that favor dominant groups. Violations come in the form of questions or the absence of invitations to participate. Directing attention toward the dominant group and away from individuals who represent an oppressed group often occurs.

Common offenses target visible characteristics such as skin complexion or facial features, oral expression, or body size.

Visible Characteristics

Characteristics that differ from the dominant group are often questioned out of curiosity. However, the questions derive from a negative assumption; the experience of the dominant group is superior to the experience that is being questioned. The question in and of itself invalidates the experience of the individual.

• Is that your real hair? (Asking about long African American hair)
• What are you? (Asking people of color about ethnicity)
• Are you legal? (Asking Latinx person about citizenship)
• Why don’t you speak Chinese? (Asking Chinese person about language)
• Do I need to use the microphone? (When making a presentation)

These types of questions may feel innocent to the violator because of the assumption of normality. Here is why they are offensive to the receiver.

Hair: Black hair is a phenomenon in the world. African descendants corner the market on kinky hair. The kinks make hair more versatile than straight hair, including straightening it.

Long, straight hair has been set as a standard of beauty. To question whether a Black person’s hair is real because it is long or straight brings into consciousness the biased standard of beauty.

The embedded presumption is that Black women cannot represent the standard. Unless you are willing to have an entire dialogue about beauty standards, leave this question out. Whether someone’s hair is real or not is none of your business.

Ethnicity: Like hair, the standard for ethnicity represents European decent. This standard is most evident in the fact that most white citizens of the United States are never questioned about their ethnicity. They definitely are not asked “what are you?” They are obviously human beings. People with features not European are also human beings.

Any questions about their experience as humans should be specific if the goal is to build a relationship with them. If the goal is not to build a relationship with them, then avoid personal questions altogether. “I’m curious about your ethnic background” is a more respectful way to engage a person in dialogue about ethnicity.

Citizenship: Given the current sociopolitical climate of this country, asking about citizenship can be perceived as overt aggression. So, make certain you have a good reason to question anyone about citizenship. Even if you do have a good reason to ask, using the word legal is not appropriate language. All human beings are legal. The United States of America is a country, not the government of humanity.

The proper way to ask about citizenship is to ask if a person was born in this country. Accept their yes or no response and whatever else they offer. But, do not turn the conversation into an inquisition. Move on to building a relationship by sharing your own path to the United States of America.

If you don’t know the story of how your ancestors migrated to America, do not assume that foreigners want to share theirs with you. Holding the bias assumption that your citizenship in the United States of America is “normal” and exempt from investigation breeds microaggression.

Language: English is the official language of the United States and most citizens do not speak a second language. Therefore, expressing surprise by people of color for not speaking another language says something about your assumption of citizenship. If you, as a citizen of the United States of America, speak only English, that privilege should be extended to all people who live in this country.

Do not shame people of color for any detachment from their ancestor culture. White people are not questioned about their detachments from their ancestor’s cultures though we know they are not native to the United States of America.

Ability: People tend to take for granted their sensory physical abilities. We use our eyes and ears without conscious and often ignore differences in abilities. Making handouts with 10-point font will prevent people with vision problems from participating. Not using a microphone will also prevent people with hearing challenges from participating.

Whenever possible, and to whatever degree possible, avoid the need to request special services. The assumption that everyone has peak sensory performance is a bias toward youth and a microaggression toward elders.

Instead of asking people to identify their challenges, respect the fact that people of different abilities should have been invited into the room. Prepare for them. Assume they are there even if you can’t identify them.

Lifestyle

Microaggressions on lifestyle often occur by omission. Invitations and kindness extended to dominant groups are omitted to individuals who represent non-dominant lifestyles. Specific categories of religion, sexual identity, and race are targets of omission.

Religion

Christianity dominates the United States’ religious sphere. Religion is used synonymously with Christianity. When we argue to bring religion into schools, we are not talking about Islam or Buddhism. Just because Christianity is the national religion doesn’t mean we should not show sensitivity to people who practice other religions.

Celebrating only Christmas at work or school alienates people. An easy fix is to celebrate the “holiday season” instead of Christmas. Throughout December, help individuals celebrate their religious beliefs instead of imposing Christianity on everyone.

Ask people in your immediate office area which of the religious holidays they celebrate throughout the year. Like many offices do with birthdays, have a list of major religious holidays listed on a visible monthly calendar. That way, you are not asking individuals to stick out in order to fit in. Being more inclusive is a convenient way to avoid microaggression.

Sexual identity

The LGBTQ+ community has set a new standard for the use of pronouns. Ignoring the standard and using pronouns other than requested by the person is a microaggression. Dismissing pronouns as irrelevant represents an arrogant assumption that only the dominant group is allowed to create standards.

Not being able to classify a person based on their physical appearance is becoming more common as we move away from traditional gender scripts. Instead of asking a person their gender, the respectful approach is to ask a person what pronouns they use.

Race

Listening to the voice of a person of color is not part of the living experience of the majority race. So, the voices of people of color are often not heard, when they do speak.

The practice of voting can be a microaggression when one race holds the voting power. The few people of color cannot create cultural experiences when voting is required for their voices to be heard.

Leaving a person of color isolated is an assumption that they should assimilate. Instead of waiting for the person of color to fit in, relationships should be extended based on their cultural nuances.

Instead of inviting a person of color to dominant culture events and activities, get to know their cultural interests and spend time in their natural environment instead of the dominant culture. Avoid aggressing by always inviting a person of color out of their comfort zone while you stay in yours.

Responses to Microaggression

Responses to microaggression can stir up conflict. Targets of microaggression are sometimes used as scapegoats. If the target retaliates with verbal aggression, their response may receive reprimand instead of the microaggression. The normalization of microaggression places the focus on the response.

The substantial microaggression that minority groups live with daily, numbs many individuals. They learn to choose their battles carefully. They often internalize their responses to avoid conflict. Others may or may not notice the person’s response. Typically, a targeted person responds in one of the following ways.

• Avoidance: They avoid being in the space where microaggression exists.
• Distance: They minimize all responses to people in the spaces where microaggression exists.
• Defensiveness: They become defensive in their tone and nonverbal expression to show their intolerance of microaggression.

These are common responses whether microaggressions occur at work, home, or social groups. If you find yourself experiencing an individual in one of these ways, consider your tendency to use microaggression.

How to Avoid Using Microaggression

Microaggression uses normalcy and tradition as a tool of subtle harm. The easiest way to not aggress is to loosen your attachment to norms that create judgment. Check your implicit biases.

1) Be respectfully curious. Avoid requesting people to fill your curiosity. State what you notice instead of asking questions.

• How long does it take you to do your hair like that? (Makes an oddity out of the person)
• Your hair looks like it takes a lot more time than mine. (Neutral, no response required)

2) Be open. Where you represent a majority group, invite people with differences into your circle even if they appear disinterested. More importantly, show a willingness to participate in their natural environments. Do not require assimilation.

3) Be an advocate. Help increase the range of normalcy in the world. When no minority group is openly represented, speak for those who are not in the room. Create space for them to show up, and maybe they will.

4) Be attentive. Pay attention to body language when you interact with individuals from minority groups. Silence is not agreement. Do not assume that your joking and sarcasm are OK just because the person did not correct you.

References

Bakari, R. (2019). Implicit Bias: The Anchor of Discrimination. Medium

Bakari, R. (2019). Why Stereotypes Are Hard To Resist And How To Resist Them. Medium

Levchak, C. C. (2018). Microaggressions and modern racism: Endurance and evolution. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. doi:10.1007/978–3–319–70332–9`