Microaggressions are the 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. In many
cases, these hidden messages may invalidate the group identity or experiential
reality of target persons, demean them on a personal or group level,
communicate they are lesser human beings, suggest they do not belong with the
majority group, threaten and intimidate, or relegate them to inferior status
and treatment (Sue, 2010).
A microaggression I detected recently, yesterday
actually, was when my husband, my best friend, her husband, and I were waiting
to get on an elevator. There was a white couple waiting to get on also. When
the elevator came down we got in the elevator, but the white couple just stood there.
My husband told them that it was enough room for them to get on, as they could
see, but they declined and said that they would just wait for the next one. We all
knew why they did not want to get on the elevator. I became really angry and
wanted to say something rude to them, but my husband told me not to worry about
it. I just wanted to understand why or what they were thinking we would do to
them.
My experience this week has confirmed my certainty
that prejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping will never end. The assumption
they made about us was that we were dangerous. This assumption was hurtful to
me and it also made me angry. Just because we come from different races does not
mean that we are criminals, dangerous, or abnormal. Discriminating against,
labeling, and stereotyping people is wrong and can cause long-term effects. There
are many who believe that prejudice and discrimination is a problem of the
past, but it is not. Prejudice and discrimination still exists and incidents
like the one that happened to me occur every day.
Sue, D.W. (2010). Psychology Today. Microaggression
in Everyday Life. Retrieved July 26, 2014, from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/microaggressions-in-everyday-life/201011/microaggressions-more-just-race
great post I agree with you that white people have that bias that all black people will do something to them. That happen to me and my brother we got in the elevator and white lady held her bag real tight . I also that people need to learn about different culture so this world would better place.
ReplyDeleteNice post! I just had the pleasure of seeing the Civil Rights Museum in Atlanta, when you start in the Museum you see whites have such hatred and know to see them show bias to beliefs that are still have no truth is sad, after seeing how far we have come.
ReplyDeleteToshiko Pinckney
Lashanda,
ReplyDeleteYou post has a excellent definition and example of microaggresion. I am saddened by that fact that you encountered such bias rude people. Please remember that not all white people have such bias and act in such a manner.