Page 112 - Microaggressions in Everyday Live Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation

86 the microaggression process model

4. Collectivistic sense of group identity and peoplehood—Our studies on
microaggressions suggest that oppressed groups rely heavily on one
another for a collective sense of identity, for validation and confi rmation
of their experiences, and for sharing with one another healthy coping
mechanisms to overcome invalidation. Reliance on one’s group, family/
community, and other social networks provide strengths to overcome
oppressive environments. In many respects, marginalized groups use the
term “peoplehood” (sociopolitical) to refer to a sense of group iden-
tity forged through common experiences of oppressions and lessons
learned that survival depends on one another. Cultural values from col-
lectivistic cultures, too, seem invaluable in overcoming prejudice and
discrimination and enhancing the ability of marginalized groups to fl our-
ish in a toxic environment. Racial and ethnic pride also seems to immunize
minority groups against forces like racism.

Developing healthy cultural identities and self-esteem is challenging
for people of color, women, and LGBTs as they continuously combat an
oppressive society that equates differences with deviance and pathology.
Social support, as we will shortly see, is a powerful means of combating and
ameliorating stressful racism, sexism, and heterosexism. It appears that
social support through a sense of belonging, ethnic collectivistic cultural
values, extended family systems, communities, and group resources buffer
oppressed groups against a hostile society and provide cultural nutrients
that validate their worldviews and lifestyles.

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