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130 microaggressive perpetrators and oppression

biased through their nonverbal behaviors. Such constant vigilance related to
color blindness has been found to result in cognitive depletion, less warmth,
and the sending of mixed signals in social situations (Dovidio, Gaertner,
Kawakami, & Hodson, 2002; Apfelbaum et al., 2008).
2. Guilt is another strong and powerful emotion that many Whites experi-
ence when racism is brought to their awareness. As we have indicated, an
attempt to escape guilt and remorse means dulling and diminishing one ’ s
own perception. Knowledge about race - based advantages, the continued
mistreatment of large groups of people, and the realization that people have
personally been responsible for the pain and suffering of others elicits strong
feelings of guilt (Spanierman & Heppner, 2004). Guilt creates defensiveness
and outbursts of anger in an attempt to deny, diminish, and avoid such a
disturbing self - revelation.
3. Low empathy and sensitivity toward the oppressed is another outcome of
oppression for the perpetrator. The harm, damage, and acts of cruelty visited
upon marginalized groups can only continue if the person ’ s humanity is dimin-
ished; oppressors lose sensitivity to those that are hurt; they become hard, cold,
and unfeeling to the plight of the oppressed; and they turn off their compassion
and empathy for others. To continue being oblivious to one ’ s own complicity in
such acts means objectifying and dehumanizing people of color, women, and
LGBTs. In many respects it means separating oneself from others, seeing them as
lesser beings, and in many cases treating them like subhuman aliens (Sue, 2005).
Behavioral Costs of Oppression

Behaviorally, the psychosocial costs of racism include fearful avoidance
of diverse groups and/or diversity activities/experiences in our society;
impaired interpersonal relationships; pretense and inauthenticity in dealing
with racial, gender, or sexual-orientation topics; and acting in a callous and
cold manner toward fellow human beings (Freire, 1970; Hanna et al., 2000;

Spanierman & Heppner, 2004; Spanierman, Poteat, Beer, & Armstrong,
2006; Spanierman et al., 2009; Sue, 2005).
Fearful avoidance deprives oppressors the richness of possible friendships
and an expansion of educational experiences that open up life horizons and pos-
sibilities. If we use racism as an example, there is great loss in depriving oneself
of interracial friendships, forming new alliances, and learning about differ-
ences related to diversity. Self - segregation because of fear of certain groups in
our society and depriving oneself of multicultural/diversity experiences con-
stricts one ’ s life possibilities and results in a narrow view of the world.

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