Page 180 - Microaggressions in Everyday Live Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation

154 racial/ethnic microaggressions and racism

as the largest racial/ethnic group, and represent ancestries from Mexico,
Puerto Rico, Cuba, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and other Latin
American groups (Sue & Sue, 2008; U.S. Bureau of Census Statistics, 2007). It
is important to note that “ Latina/o ” is not a racial designator, but an ethnic
one. Thus, Latinas/os may come from any racial category. Like their Asian/
Pacific American counterparts, they are varied and diverse in customs, tradi-

tions, cultures, and so forth. They are, however, held together by one powerful
and common denominator: their primary language is Spanish. Compared
to the general population, Latinas/os are relatively younger, have higher
fertility rates, and continue to be among the least educated in the U.S. population
(Casas, Vasquez, & de Esparza, 2002).
Little doubt exists that Latinas/os experience widespread prejudice
and discrimination (National Survey of Latinos, 2002). They are over-
represented among the poor, unemployment is high, most are in semiskilled
or unskilled occupations, and they suffer many more health problems when
compared to the general population (tuberculosis, AIDS, obesity, heart disease,
etc.) (Sue & Sue, 2008). Many Latinas/os believe that their lower standard of
living and personal well - being are affected by prejudice, stereotyping, and
discrimination (Krupin, 2001; National Survey of Latinos, 2002). Latinas/os,
for example, were often believed by others to be less warm and less competent,
unwanted and unskilled newcomers, and having less social status (Jimeno -
Ingrum, Berdahl, & Lucero - Wagoner, 2009). As a group, they reported levels
of perceived discrimination equal to reports of Black Americans and much
higher than reports of Whites (Moradi & Risco, 2006).
When the general public thinks about Latinas/os, these are some of the
images and stereotypes that come to mind: illegal aliens, foreigners, drug
dealers, farm workers, poor, welfare recipients, tax avoiders, domestic servants,
unskilled, criminals, dangerous, untrustworthy, greasy, sloppy, irresponsible,
lazy, never on time, carefree, uninhibited, poor English, uneducated, stupid,
and religious (Sue, 2003). All of these images are consistent with fi ndings on
microaggressive themes for Latinas/os: Ascription of intelligence, second - class
citizens, pathologizing of communication style/cultural values, speech char-
acteristics, aliens in their own land, criminality, and invalidation of Latina/o
experience (Rivera, Forquer, & Rangel, in press).

Psychological and Physical Health Consequences

Like their Asian American counterparts, less research on the psychological
and physical health consequences has been done on Latinas/os (Moradi &

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