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Oppression, Oppressors, and Microaggressive Perpetrators 113

The nature of oppression can take many forms, as described by Hanna and
colleagues (2000). The first form is oppression by force, coercion, or duress.

It is the act of imposing on another or others an object, label, role experience, or
set of living conditions that is unwanted, needlessly painful, and detracts from
physical or psychological well - being. An imposed object, in this context, can be
anything from a bullet, a bludgeon, shackles, or fists, to a penis, unhealthy food,

or abusive messages designed to cause or sustain pain, low self - effi cacy, reduced
self - determination, and so forth. Other examples of oppression by force can be
demeaning hard labor, degrading job roles, ridicule, and negative media images
.
and messages that foster and maintain distorted beliefs (p. 431)
With respect to microaggressions, labels or messages of inferiority, crimi-

nality, sexual objectification, and foreigner status may be imposed upon mar-
ginalized groups. Eroticization of Asian American women and using symbols
and mascots that coopt and diminish the importance of American Indian cul-
tures are a few of the examples.

The second form identified by Hanna et al. (2000) involves oppression by
deprivation. It is the converse of imposition and involves depriving others
of an object, label, role experience, or living conditions that are desirable for
physical and mental well - being. A person can be deprived of psychological
and social needs such as respect, love, social support, and dignity, or material
needs such as clothing, food, shelter, and so forth. For example, in the early
history of the Sioux nation, the U.S. Government banned certain spiritual
and religious practices they considered subversive: American Indians were
deprived of the rights to practice their religions.
“ Elderspeak ” is a microaggressive example of oppression by deprivation;
it deprives the elder person the role of being a competent and capable adult
by infantilizing him or her. It has been found that using the terms “ Sweetie ”
and “ Dear ” are forms of belittlement directed toward the elderly. The doc-
tor who talks to an elderly man ’ s children about his health problems, a store
clerk who assumes the older customer doesn ’ t know how to work a computer,
and a new acquaintance who speaks loudly to an elderly woman, send clear
messages that assume less competence and capability (Leland, 2008). In other
words, they are “ being spoken down to. ” These negative messages of feeble-
ness and forgetfulness deny the dignity of the elderly. It has been found that
“ elderspeak ” may cause a downward spiral for older persons, result in physi-
cal health problems, and create low self - esteem, depression, and withdrawal
(Leland, 2008).

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