What are microaggressions?
According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, microaggressions are, “comments or actions that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group (such as a racial minority).” In layman’s terms, microaggressions are conscious or subconscious derogatory words, phrases, statements or actions that attack a person or group of people. An example would be calling a perceived man a “girl,” or “gay,” if he doesn’t fit one or many of the hypermasculine stereotypes ascribed to men in society.
The important thing to remember about microaggressions is that they can come from literally anyone, including yourself (and me), and that they can target anyone and everyone in different capacities. Often, microaggressions are so entrenched in our daily vernacular that it takes someone else to remind us that what we are saying or doing can be perceived as offensive.
The existence of microaggressions is something that, I think, will never go away. As society changes and progresses and the definitions around marginalized communities blur and shift, the reality is that there will always be language and actions that negatively target an individual or a group of people. Moreover, the victim complex is not only something that most people are, but also something that people know how to use to their advantage. Thus, the actual definition of “microaggression” will continue to change and shift as well.
That being said, this doesn’t excuse us, as human beings capable of rational thought, from saying or doing whatever we want, whenever we want. The purpose of this blog is to remind myself, as well as others, that what we say and do has a profound impact on the culture we are cultivating around us. If you catch someone saying or doing something microaggressive, politely remind them that what they said or did is not okay, and then move on. If someone catches you saying or doing something microaggressive, accept the call-out for what it is, make a conscious change and then move on.
It is understandable that confrontation, particularly regarding sensitive topics such as microaggressions and offense, is something that most people want to avoid. It can be emotionally taxing and stressful, and often ends in more of a deadlock than a resolution. Not everyone has the privilege to avoid confrontation at will, however. People within marginalized communities are forced to be in confrontational situations while navigating their lives every day, and have no way to escape without simultaneously denouncing one or many of their personal identifiers (which is just about impossible to do). By chronicling just a few of the microaggressions I encounter on a daily basis, I hope to challenge myself and others to question our behavior, and to speak out when confronted with instances of discrimination.
I am not, nor do I claim to be, an expert on microaggressions. The intent of this blog is for me to parse through things I’ve seen or heard around campus, and how they affect the overall culture and atmosphere that we are trying to build. Hopefully, this blog will encourage people, myself included, to think critically about how we interact with the world we live in, and the people that we surround ourselves with, and that we are surrounded by.
