What Are Microaggressions and How Do They Affect Us?
Dr. Nehi Ogbevoen Newport Beach, CA PCSO Bulletin Contributor
With so much changing in the world constantly, the PCSO Board took the initiative to create a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force to ensure we are continually reflecting and evolving to better serve our members and our orthodontic communities. To implement any change, it is important to educate ourselves and be comfortable having tough conversations with our friends, family, employers, and employees. It is with these discussions we can learn and grow into more understanding and accepting individuals.
Have you heard any of these statements before?
- “You are so articulate.”
- “Where are you really from?”
- “Everyone can succeed in today’s society if they just work hard!”
- “So, who is the man in the relationship?”
- “You are going to stay home with the kids, right?’
Chances are that you have overheard at least one of these in your office. If you have heard one of these statements or any like them, you have most likely witnessed a microaggression. Microaggressions are defined as intentional or unintentional subtle everyday behaviors and interactions that express some sort of bias toward historically marginalized groups. These verbal and/or behavioral indignities may communicate hostility or negative attitudes toward specific groups. Marginalized communities include, but are not limited to, groups excluded due to race, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical ability, and/or immigration status. Often times, microaggressions perpetuated against marginalized individuals are dismissed or explained as a misunderstanding or minor offense. The term microaggressions has
recently become more prevalent as efforts increase to make communities, workplaces, and schools more inclusive.
According to Associate Director for Student Life and Development at Whatcom Community College Dr. Adekunbi Ajiboye, EdD, CHES, there are three forms of microaggressions: (1) microinsults, (2) microassaults, and (3) microinvalidation. Microinsults are often unconscious remarks or comments that communicate insensitivity and often demean the individual or group. Examples of microinsult include:
- Ascribing a degree of intelligence to a person or group,
- Pathologizing cultural values or communication styles, and
- Assumptions or presumptions of an individual’s criminal status
Microassaults are often conscious and intentional verbal and nonverbal behaviors that express explicit derogatory characterization of an individual or group. Examples of microassault include:
- Racial or sexist insults, name calling, and/or jokes,
- Avoidant behaviors, and
- Racial or sexist profiling.
Finally, microinvalidations are often unconscious verbal or behavioral actions that exclude, negate, or nullify the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of an individual or group. Microinvalidations are the most prominent microaggressions experienced on a daily basis. Examples of microinvalidation include:
- Stating that you do not see color or individual races and
- Asserting that a person’s marginalized identity plays only a minor role in their life.
Let’s revisit the statements from above that on the surface may seem harmless and take a deeper dive into what they may be signaling in the contexts of assumptions, stereotypes, and biases regarding members of various groups.
- You are so articulate.” This may express stereotypes that members of certain groups are not usually capable of clear and thoughtful conversations.
- Where are you really from?” This may express assumptions that members of certain groups are foreign-born or not American.
- “Everyone can succeed in today’s society if they just work hard!” This may express biases that suboptimal outcomes for members of certain groups result from their laziness without considering societal biases as obstacles.
- “So, who is the man in the relationship?” This may express assumptions that all relationships must follow heteronormative lines.
- “You are going to stay home with the kids, right?” This may express assumptions that women should not be working or that women cannot be successful in both their personal and professional lives.
Dr. Ajiboye also stresses that microaggressions do not only occur with words. Actions and behaviors can also communicate negative bias toward marginalized groups.
Are Microaggressions Harmful?
It is important to understand the magnitude of microaggressions. The “micro” in microaggressions should not lead one to believe that these interactions do not affect the lives of those receiving them. Microaggressions send a message that certain people do not belong. The compounding nature of microaggressions over time allows them to have major detrimental effects when experienced on a constant basis. They can influence everything from the daily work/employee experience to negatively affecting
physical and psychological well-being. Furthermore, it can be easy to dismiss an individual’s reaction as hypersensitivity, but the cumulative nature makes it difficult and exhausting for marginalized individuals or groups to address the issue with each individual offender. Unfortunately, microaggressions are often unintentionally perpetuated because many individuals do not understand the effect and impact that their words and actions have on others.
What Can We Do to Help?
The PCSO board realizes that we are not exempt from inequities and broader social injustices that harm historically marginalized groups. As leaders and healthcare providers, it is critical to continue to educate ourselves and to take steps to help create a more just world. Actions we can take to help make our offices, homes, and communities more welcoming include the following.
Educate ourselves and our teams about microaggressions.
Lead by example and address occurrences of microaggressions in our offices (when you see a microaggression occur, call it out appropriately) Engage in difficult but crucial and authentic conversations and acknowledge that diverse personal experiences shape how we experience the world around us. Own our personal intentions but also understand that the impact on others matters.
Remember microaggressions are cumulative and not just one single events.