The celebration of the diversity of nature seems so easy; but truly celebrating the diversity in humankind has often proven a challenge.
The writings of Dr. Derald Wing Sue and others give us an insight into the complexity and challenge of honoring diversity and promoting authentic inclusion. Dr. Sue and his colleagues writing in ‘Racial Microaggression** in Everyday Life’** describe the ways in which we may “micro-aggress” against one and other without really understanding the impact of our behavior and words. Dr. Sue and his colleagues’ work gives us pause. “Microaggression” is not limited to the sphere of inter-race relations. Many disenfranchised, marginalized and other vulnerable persons experience it as well.
Here is a beginning to the discussion of “microaggression.” Do we recognize it? Do we experience it or do we express it? Perhaps we do both
**“Racial microaggressions are brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults towards people of color.” Those who inflict racial microaggressions are often unaware that they have done anything to harm another person.”
Source:
Sue, D.W., Capodilupo, C., Torino, G, Bucceri, J., Holder, A., Nadal, K., & Equin, M. (2007). Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Implications for Clinical Practice. The American Psychologist , 62 (4) 271-286.
There are lots of microaggressions. None are pleasant to experience. They leave you guessing…”did this really happen?” “What did he or she mean when they said that?” Microaggressions are powerful. There is nothing “micro” about them!
Please see the quote below.
Microaggressions: from: (Kevin Nadal, Ph.D.
Professor. Psychologist. Pinoy.)
Microaggressions are defined as brief and commonplace daily, verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative slights and insults toward members of oppressed groups” (Nadal, 2008, p. 23). Microaggressions can occur towards people of color, women, LGBT persons, religious minorities, disabled people, and multiracial persons. My current research expands on the literature on microaggressions through the following projects:
a) Gender Microaggressions and the experiences of women
b) Sexual Orientation Microaggressions and the experiences of lesbians, gays, and bisexuals,
c) Transgender Microaggressions and the experiences of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming people,
d) Multiracial Microaggressions and the experiences of Multiracial Persons,
e) Racial/Ethnic Microaggressions and the experiences of Filipino Americans,
f) Religious Microaggressions and the experiences of Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and non-religious persons,
f) Racial Microaggressions and the processes and experiences of White American enactors.
Do we risk misinterpreting nearly anything as agressive? If someone usually is kind, we just ignore and get along?
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I experience micro aggression as a single woman and as a woman with a senior position in a police service