Microaggressions
"I can't believe you're offended! My niece's boyfriend is Asian!"
What is... A racial/racist microaggression?
A White man tells a Black man that he should stop complaining and just work harder to achieve in life.
- White people have had an advantage in our society over the years
- White people have not had to deal with systemic racism
The way that people with marginalized identities internalise narratives of their own inferiority
What is... Internalized Oppression?
Someone tells you that they think Immigrants are lazy and take handouts instead of working
What is... Ideological Oppression?
"Aw an old person, how cute!"
What is... An ageist microaggression?
Your friend always plans group outings at restaurants or shopping trips, and so you never feel comfortable going because you can't afford it
- Your friend isn't your friend
- The friend lacks perspective about struggling with money due to their privilege of never having to/ not currently having to.
- Access to food/resources is a huge privilege to have
The oppressive party doesn't need to exert force any longer because the marginalized group is enacting oppression on itself to maintain the status quo.
What is... Internalized Oppression?
A bakery refuses to make a cake for a gay couple, as they believe being gay is a sin.
What is... Institutional Oppression?
"You have depression? But you seem so normal!"
What is... A microaggression related to mental illness/ neurodivergence?
"I don't care about learning/talking about social issues, this is boring and a waste of time"
- Not caring about a social issue probably means that in some way your privileges have prevented you from experiencing harm related to those issues.
- No experience a social issue or to be prone to experiencing them makes you care
- If you don't care, you probably don't see a need to
When the dominant group associates positive qualities with itself and negative qualities with the marginalized or "othered" group.
What is... Ideological Oppression?
Someone you knew from high school turned out to see themselves as a failure in life, just like you heard people tell them they would be.
What is.... Internalized Oppression?
"So since you're both men, who's staying home with the kids, and who works?
What is.... a homophobic/sexist microaggression?
A lighter skinned person thinks racism isn't as big of a deal as people say it is, because they've never experienced racism like others say they have.
- This person likely has racial ambiguity
- This person hasn't experienced this racism, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist
- Lighter skinned people are less likely to be targeted as much as darker skinned POC
The way that systems and institutions manifest the dominant ideology.
What is... Institutional Oppression?
One of your classmates struggles to understand a question, and someone shouts out "what, are you slow or something?"
What is... Interpersonal Oppression?
"You're so articulate!"
What is... A racial/racist microaggression?
"Nah I'm not gay bro stop playing, I have a girlfriend"
- The privilege to come out and say you are in a heterosexual relationship is huge.
- The idea that being homosexual is a joke or something to deny just shows the lack of privilege in this regard.
- It is a privilege to be able to openly identify as the "norm" in our society.
The way that people play out discrimination and violence on each other.
What is... Interpersonal Oppression?
Your teacher seems like they just don't like you, and disciplines you at a much higher rate than the rest of your classmates.
What is... Interpersonal Oppression?