Racial Microaggressions In Everyday Life

Discussion #4

After reading the article on “Racial Microaggressions in everyday life,” my perception on microaggressions seems to have more severe consequences and harmful effects than blatant discrimination. Blatant discrimination is easily noticed and intentional by people being aware of it occurring when conversating or interacting with others. An example of blatant discrimination would be, in the workplace, an employee who is trying to get a promotion is passed up and is always in favor of younger employees. Microaggressions is the opposite of blatant discrimination. The reason why it is more harmful is because: People are unaware of their actions or communications of microaggressions when talking to others of different racial and

ethnic backgrounds, there are three different kinds of microaggressions: Microassault, microinsult and microinvalidation, it can have a clash of racial realities, it creates the invisibility of unintentional bias, racial microaggressions is seen as minimal harm and it can be a catch-22. Also, microaggressions can be viewed as racial or environmental in everyday life.

I agree, that microaggressions contributes more harm because it can be intentional or unintentional by initiating racial assaults, insults and invalidations, towards a person or group, particularly when it pertains to minorities. In addition, microaggressions has a toll on minorities when prejudicial behaviors, biases and color come into play. The person or group then becomes uncomfortable, resilient, aggressive and hostile towards others perpetrating or contributing to the occurrence. As Sue makes a very good point and I found interesting he says, “White Americans fail to see a pattern of bias, defended by a belief in their own morality, and in good conscience deny that they discriminated.” All too often, minorities are faced with the challenges of hostility and resilience do to microaggressions, so they can sustain their dignity. Steps need to be taken and implemented in order to combat the problems of microaggressions. This will help in educating people as to what microaggressions is, how it impacts others and how to take responsibility. To me, this will be a start to elevating the problems that it contributes to society. These are some of the reasons why microaggressions is more harmful than blatant discrimination.

Work Cited