Mighty Microaggressions

The reason microaggressions are so important to learn about and acknowledge is in their name - they’re micro. Even though they may be subtler and more difficult to identify compared to larger actions, microaggressions can have extreme impacts on their targets over time. Let’s take a closer look into what microaggressions are, how they influence minority groups, and what you can do to best combat them. 

A microaggression is a comment or action directed at a group or individual because of a certain identity they hold. A psychiatrist in the 1970s coined the term to describe petty insults targeted at African Americans, but psychologists have since expanded it to apply to any minority. Often, microaggressions come from well-intentioned people who don’t believe they’ve done anything offensive, but they can also come from people whose goal is to cause harm. Whether purposeful or accidental, verbal or behavioral, it’s important to note that microaggressions are dangerous and considered a form of prejudice, a term we’ve defined more extensively here.

Most microaggressions fall into one of three categories: microassaults, microinsults, and microinvalidations. Microassaults are conscious and explicit actions. An example of a verbal microassault could be intentionally using the wrong pronouns when referring to a transgender person, while non-verbal microassaults could include avoiding sitting next to someone because of a certain characteristic they possess, such as their race. A microinsult, on the other hand, is an unconscious behavior or remark and is often more slight than a microassault. Examples of microinsults are a woman clutching her purse when a person of color walks by, or someone making a comment such as “you’re so sporty for a girl.” While these actions may have seemingly positive intentions, they are unlikely to land well on their targets and could become largely damaging very quickly. Finally, microinvalidations are comments that undermine someone’s identity. A common example is asking an Asian American person where they’re really from, invalidating their US citizenship and right to call this country their true home.

As emphasized above, although micro, microaggressions can snowball rapidly and leave lasting, detrimental effects on their victims. Microaggressions can be especially harmful in learning environments, as jeopardizing students’ sense of belonging inevitably influences their ability to engage. One study that surveyed college campuses revealed that, as a result of racial microaggressions, African American students experienced increased rates of depression, self-doubt, frustration, and isolation, which impacted their overall education. Another study of around 320 minority graduate students showed that 98% experienced microaggressions and their distressful aftermath. It’s even been proven that, for people of color as a whole, discrimination in the form of microaggressions can bring about health concerns such as increased risk of headaches, high blood pressure, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. 

It’s hard to say that an end to microaggressions and their destructive impacts on our society is in sight, but we do know that there are concrete, effective ways to make a response to them. Your first priority after experiencing a microaggression should be to take care of yourself and seek support from those who make you feel safe, whether that’s a family member, friend, peer, or therapist. You should also avoid internalizing the comment or behavior you experienced - you haven’t done anything wrong and shouldn’t change anything about yourself. Remove yourself from any environments or situations where the microaggression occurred if you no longer feel safe in those places. If you do feel safe and are able to talk to the person who committed the microaggression, you can discuss the incident briefly, but it may be best to discuss it at a later time in order to give them time to reflect. Let them know how their actions made you feel in order to set you both up for the most productive conversation. 

Recognizing and addressing microaggressions is crucial for fostering environments that feel inclusive and supportive to everyone. By understanding their impacts and taking proactive steps to combat them, we can work towards a more respectful society. Please leave any further questions you have at the bottom of this page!