Microaggressions - What Are They & Why Are They Harmful?

Friday 23-10-2020 - 15:29
Microaggress

According to Kevin Nadal, microaggressions are:

'...the everyday, subtle, intentional — and oftentimes unintentional — interactions or behaviours that communicate some sort of bias toward historically marginalized groups. The difference between microaggressions and overt discrimination or microaggressions is that people who commit microaggressions might not even be aware of them.'

 No-one wants to hurt anyone's feelings - especially not accidentally or unintentionally. President of the Afro-Caribbean Society, Illka, has compiled a list of some of the most commonly heard ones & provided some explanation about why they can be so hurtful.

 

‘I have a Black friend’

Saying this to attempts to justify discriminatory or prejudicial views and is simply using tokenism to justify racism. ‘Having a black friend’ does not excuse you from guilt due to racial prejudice or discrimination.

 

‘Can I touch your hair?’

Not only is it an invasion of personal space, but Black people also face this kind of thing every day, and it can make them feel like a thing on display. Even if it is not my real hair, don’t touch it unless I give you permission to. 

 

‘I don’t see colour’

The intention here is inclusive, but people of colour are saying their colour and identity matter and impact how they experience the world. By doing this, you are ignoring a massive part of their identity, and ignoring the fact that people are treated differently due to the colour of their skin.

 

‘All lives matter’

This needs no explanation. People who say this as a response to “Black Lives Matter” are actively ignoring the devastating impact of police brutality and racism has on the black community. While the statement is inherently true and all lives do matter, as a response to BLM, it tells the world that you feel threatened by the worldwide drive for racial justice and equity.

 

‘Where are you really from?’

Again, this one is self-explanatory. Implying that someone is not from the country they were born in simply due to the colour of their skin is a form of covert discrimination that can be very harmful to a person of colour’s mental health.

 

‘You’re very articulate’

The surprise meant behind this backhanded compliment is simply a way for people to express their prejudiced view that people of colour aren’t as intelligent as white people. Commonly, this is a phrase that is said following a simple statement, which simply exaggerates that belief.

 

Asking a black person to speak for their entire race

While that specific person’s opinion does matter in the discussion, asking them to speak for billions of people reduces that person’s opinion to tokenism, as well as restricts the idea of individuality.

 

‘You’re really pretty for a dark-skinned girl’

This one is again self-explanatory, yet unfortunately, this is something many Black women have experienced throughout their lives. The idea that because someone does not fit into the largely white-dominated western idea of beauty is really hurtful to Black people’s self-image. Regardless of being called pretty, this statement is extremely damaging.

 

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