Identifying microaggressions can be complicated. Often times, they don’t originate from a place of aggression or racism. Quite often, they are simply born out of ignorance. Nevertheless, intention does not negate impact, and what you say, no matter how harmless it may seem, can be severely damaging and negatively impact the recipient’s perception of themselves. Microaggressions exist in many different forms, and they don’t affect people of color exclusively; any minority or marginalized group such as women and LGBTQIA people can be affected by microaggressions. Typically, microaggressions are based on stereotypes and disguised as compliments, which makes them difficult to combat because they come from positivity. I personally have been subjected to microaggressions my entire life while attending a predominately white school. Here are just a few of the ones I have encountered.
1) “You’re the whitest black person I know”/”You don’t act black”
This phrase has been said to me countless times over my time at PWI’s, and I really don’t know if it is intended to be a compliment. Nevertheless, what does this statement mean? Does it mean that I’m not living up to the stereotypes of black people and the singular narrative that portrays us in the media?
2) “You sound white”
This is another one that has plagued me over the years, and again, it just plays back into the stereotypical image of a black person and not living up to this image. Usually, it’s said because I choose to articulate my words in a way that black people don’t “usually” do. It gives the impression that black people can only speak one way, and that the way they speak is not the right way.
3) “You only got into GW because they needed diversity”
When people said this to me or anything similar in the attempt to negate my accomplishments, it used to really bother me, and made me question my intelligence and affected my confidence academically. But now, I’ve realized that people do this simply to blame their inadequacies on me, and that’s fine. It’s not a reflection on who I am as a person, but rather a reflection of their own insecurities.
Overall, microaggressions suck. But I try to remind myself that often times, they stem from a place of ignorance, and not a place of hate. So when you encounter a microaggression, do what you feel is appropriate for the situation. Sometimes I call them out, and often times, I let them slide. The most important thing to remember is that they are never a reflection of you.