Page 138 - Microaggressions in Everyday Live Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation

112 microaggressive perpetrators and oppression

oppress others? Third, what are the psychosocial costs to perpetrators of
racism, sexism, and heterosexism? This last question may seem contradictory
as most discussions of oppression seem to focus on the benefits of racism for

Whites, sexism for men, and heterosexism for straights (Pinterits, Poteat, &
Spanierman, 2009; Spanierman, Todd, & Anderson, 2009; Sue, 2003, 2005). But

increasing interest and scholarly works on the psychosocial costs of racism, for
example, have spawned renewed interest in looking at the detrimental impact
on those who oppress (Goodman, 2001; Hanna, Talley, & Guindon, 2000;
Spanierman, Oh, et al., 2008) and even the development of a White Privilege
Attitudes Scale (Pinterits et al., 2009).

OPPRESSION, OPPRESSORS, AND
MICROAGGRESSIVE PERPETRATORS

Racism, sexism, and heterosexism are forms of oppression that unjustly per-
secute, subjugate, and denigrate others through the cruel exercise of power
over individuals or groups (Hanna et al., 2000; Sue, 2003, 2004). When biases
and prejudices become institutionalized and systemized into the norms, val-
ues, and beliefs of a society, they are passed on to generations of its citizens
via socialization and cultural conditioning. These normative standards and
beliefs are enforced by society through education, mass media, signifi cant oth-
ers, and institutions (Banks, 2004; Cortes, 2004). The effects of oppression may
move through a progression of denigration, dehumanization, and demoniza-
tion that adversely affect marginalized groups in our society.
None of us, however, would consciously and willingly consent to such
heinous actions. In order to assure the continuance of the oppressor – oppressed
relationship, and to keep such injustices hidden, therefore, it is desirable
to perpetuate a “ culture of silence ” among oppressed groups (Freire, 1970)
as well as perpetrators (Sue, 2004). When the oppressed are not allowed to
express their thoughts and outrage, when their concerns are minimized, and
when they are punished for expressing ideas at odds with the dominant
group, their voices are effectively silenced. This allows perpetrators to hold
on to a belief that they are good, moral, and decent human beings. In other

words, pretense and mystification that racism, sexism, and heterosexism
have been minimized or that they no longer pose a problem is reinforced
by a “ code of silence ” that leaves perpetrators guilt - free and inequities
unchallenged.

1/19/10 6:10:47 PM
c06.indd 112 1/19/10 6:10:47 PM
c06.indd 112