Page 154 - Microaggressions in Everyday Live Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation

128 microaggressive perpetrators and oppression

reality that has been instrumental in shaping their identities and establishing
their positions in life.

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL COSTS OF OPPRESSION
(MICROAGGRESSIONS) TO PERPETRATORS

While most people describe racism, sexism, and heterosexism as unfairly
benefiting oppressors, an increasing body of literature suggests they are not

without costs for perpetrators. Some scholars have described the downside
for perpetrators of oppression across various marginalized groups at both
the national and international levels (Bowser & Hunt, 1981; Freire, 1970;
Goodman, 2001; Hanna et al., 2000; Sue, 2003). Spanierman and colleagues
(Spanierman & Heppner, 2004; Spanierman, Oh, et al., 2008; Spanierman,
Poteat, Wang, & Oh, 2008; Spanierman et al., 2009) have been instrumental in
researching and contributing to our understanding of the “ psychosocial costs
of racism to Whites. ” They developed a tripartite model of cognitive, affec-
tive, and behavioral costs to Whites of racism and an instrument to measure
their effects (Spanierman & Heppner, 2004). More recently, the initial develop-
ment of the White Privilege Attitudes Scale has indicated the tripartite division
as very useful in understanding how oppression affects these dimensions
(Pinterits et al., 2009). We will use their conceptual framework to organize
our discussion around the psychosocial costs of oppression to oppressors, but
add a spiritual/moral component as well (Goodman, 2001; Kivel, 1996).

Cognitive Costs of Oppression

Many have argued that being an aversive racist requires a dimming of percep-
tual awareness and accuracy that is associated with self - deception (Bowser &
Hunt, 1981; Goodman, 2001; Hanna et al., 2000). The detrimental cognitive
and perceptual consequence to White Americans comes from two psychologi-
cal dynamics related to oppression. First, few oppressors are completely una-
ware of their roles in the oppression and degradation of others. To continue in
their oppressive ways, however, they must engage in denial and live a false
reality that allows them to function in good conscience. Second, the oppres-
sors ’ empowered status over marginalized groups may have a corrupting

influence in the ability to attune to the plight of marginalized groups. The
oft - quoted saying that “ Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts
absolutely ” has been attributed to Lord Acton in 1887. In essence, an imbalance

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