Awareness of Microaggressions

This week I was to observe my own and other people’s verbal interactions and detect examples of microaggression. Microaggressions are quick statements that contain insulting messages and can be based on any marginalized group. Whether it’s because I live and work around really kind people or because I don’t watch much T.V., I didn’t observe any microaggressions this week so far. Instead I did a little more reading about racial microaggressions and found this article while I was at it.

I've heard many microaggressions in my lifetime but off the top of my head I can just remember a few. There have been many times when people labeled someone who may be Asian as “Chinese” or “Japanese”. I probably made statements like that at one point or another before being more aware of stereotypes, discrimination and prejudice.Recently I heard someone describe someone as "retarted" and don't even get me started on people using the word "gay" as a synonym for dumb or stupid. I heard that far too many times when I worked with middle schoolers while I was in college. 

Sometimes microaggressions are spoken by well-intentioned individuals. It’s important to be aware of microaggressions and how they can impact the person they’re directed at. Microaggressions can make someone feel inferior, insulted and excluded.