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Recognizing and Addressing Microaggressions in the Classroom and Community��November 18, 2022

Dr. Jessica Sniatecki

Chair and Associate Professor

Department of Healthcare Studies

SUNY Brockport

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Grey’s Anatomy Example

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Microaggressions�Sue & Sue (2019)

  • “Microaggressions are the everyday slights, put-downs, invalidations, and insults directed to socially devalued group members by well-intentioned people who often are unaware that they have engaged in such biased and harmful behaviors” (Sue et. al, 2019, p. 12)
  • Brief interactions that send negative messages to a particular group (women, people of color, LGBT+ people, etc.)
  • Can be verbal, nonverbal, behavioral, or visual
  • Often very subtle
  • May occur without conscious awareness
  • Can be intentional or unintentional
  • Also conveyed through physical settings that make individuals feel unwelcome, isolate, unsafe, or alienated

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Types of Microaggressions�Sue & Sue (2019)

  • Microassault
    • Blatant attack intended to convey discriminatory, biased message
    • Often occur in situations of anonymity, when in presence of others who share feelings/beliefs, or when one loses control
  • Microinsult
    • Unintentional comments or behaviors that convey insensitivity to race, gender, and/or sexual orientation
    • Characterized by insulting hidden message
  • Microinvalidation
    • Comments or behaviors that exclude, negate, or dismiss the thoughts, feelings, and/or experiences of a particular group (typically unintentional)

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Examples of Microaggressions�Sue & Sue (2019)

  • Alien in Their Own Land
    • Client assumed to be foreign-born
  • Ascription of Intelligence
    • Based on aspect(s) of identity
  • Color Blindness
  • Criminality/Assumption of Criminal Status
    • Assumed to be dangerous or deviant based on aspect(s) of identity

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Examples of Microaggressions Cont.

  • Use of Sexist/Heterosexist Language
    • Terms that exclude or degrade
  • Denial of Individual Racism/Sexism/Heterosexism
  • Myth of Meritocracy
    • Involves assumptions that race, gender, and/or sexual orientation do not play a role in life successes and failures

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Examples of Microaggressions Cont. (3)

  • Pathologizing Cultural Values/Communication Styles
  • Second Class Citizen
    • Occurs when individual receives differential treatment
  • Traditional Gender Role Prejudicing and Stereotyping
  • Sexual Objectification
  • Assumption of Abnormality

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Examples of Microaggressions Cont. (4)

  • Helplessness
    • People with disabilities (PWD)
  • Denial of Personal Identity
    • Aspect of identity is ignored/denied
  • Exoticization
  • Assumption of One’s Own Religion as “Normal” (usually Christianity)

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Dilemmas that Arise from Microaggressions�Sue & Sue (2019)

  • Clash of Racial Realities
  • Invisibility of the Unintentional Expression of Bias/Prejudice
    • Psychological impact on victim when perpetrator does not recognize offense
  • Perceived Minimal Harm of Microaggressions
    • Chronic experiences lead to significant stress/trauma and have negative impact on well-being
    • Cumulative effect based on multiple identities
  • Catch-22 of Responding
    • Negative consequences for victim whether they confront or ignore

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Other Common Examples of Microaggressions

  • Websites Suggesting More Diversity than Campus/Environment Provides
  • Not Learning/Using People’s Preferred Names
  • Asking Students/People to Represent Their Group
  • Jokes

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What are Some Other Common Microaggressions that People in Your Work Environment Experience?

What Does this Mean for You?

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How can you address microaggressions in your space?

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Strategies for Fostering Diversity and Inclusion (Davis, 2009)

  • Self-awareness regarding biases and/or stereotypes
  • Treat students as individuals
  • Monitor the classroom climate
  • Recognize the complexity of diversity
  • Be cognizant of terminology

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Strategies for Fostering Diversity and Inclusion (Davis, 2009)

  • Learn about groups other than your own
  • Convey confidence in the abilities of all of your students/employees/colleagues
  • Don’t try to “protect” any group of people
  • Be equitable in acknowledging achievements

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Strategies for Fostering Diversity and Inclusion (Davis, 2009)

  • Be aware of cultural differences in nonverbal behavior
  • Use inclusive language and examples
  • Learn to pronounce all names correctly
  • Seek opportunities to give students/employees personal validation and attention

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Strategies for Fostering Diversity and Inclusion (Davis, 2009)

  • Cultivate inclusion in your space
  • Recognize your own culture-bound assumptions
  • Assign group work and collaborative learning activities

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References

  • Davis, B.G. (2009). Tools for Teaching. (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, CA.
  • Hayes, P.A. (2013). Connecting Across Cultures. Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA
  • Sue, D. W., Sue, D., Neville, H.A., & Smith, L. (2019). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (8th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.