Page 102 - Microaggressions in Everyday Live Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation

76 the microaggression process model

in their own racial, gender, and sexual-orientation identities. They trust their
intuitive thoughts, beliefs, and feelings, evaluate events and experiences from
an internal locus of control, are less externally oriented, and are active in
using contextual cues to evaluate situations. While they may engage in sanity
checks with others, their interpretations and actions are less determined by
how others respond.

Rescuing Offenders
Among the most surprising of the findings related to reactions of targets to

microaggressions was the theme of “ rescuing offenders, ” or at least of excus-
ing them for their actions. Several of our Black participants reported feeling a
pull to take care of White people who committed a microaggressive offense.
Their stories seemed to indicate a tendency to consider offenders ’ feelings in
the situation before their own. One informant described a very typical micro-
aggression experienced by Black Americans. “ I got on the elevator of a hotel, from
their parking garage, and it was really late at night, really early morning . . . around
2 A.M., I think. Anyway, I had just come back with friends from a baseball game . . . . the
elevator stopped at the lobby level and a White woman, really dressed up, got on. She
didn ’ t see me at first and pushed the button to go to her room, I think. When the elevator

started, she turned and saw me. She immediately gripped her purse, and her hand
covered her necklace . . . . I felt sorry for her. She doesn ’ t have to be afraid . . . . I wasn ’ t
going to rob her. So, I took off my baseball cap, and moved back. I said good evening
and smiled. Poor woman, she still didn ’ t relax. ”
Despite the microaggressive message (Assumption of Criminality) that
many African Americans interpret as offensive and insulting, this young
Black man seemed more concerned with the welfare of the woman than him-
self. His intent and actions seemed to be aimed at putting the woman at ease,
communicating that she had nothing to fear, and portraying himself as law
abiding. Not only was he cognizant of the fears of the woman, but he did
not seem overly offended, if any, with her behavior. Several other examples
given by our participants also revealed similar and varying degrees of this
“ other directed ” response. Explaining this reaction appears complex. Most of
our work generally reveals people of color to become incensed and/or very
bothered by microaggressions.
In speaking with these individuals, it appears that several factors may
account for this “ rescuing the offender ” reaction. First, some people of color
have stated that White people “ just can ’ t help it. ” The recognition is that
Whites have inherited the racial biases of their ancestors and are culturally

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