Page 240 - Microaggressions in Everyday Live Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation

214 microaggressive impact in the workplace and employment

overt discrimination and harassment in the workplace have concentrated
efforts upon the obvious and overt bias - based acts of coworkers (sexist, racist, or
homophobic jokes, epithets, inappropriate behaviors, unwanted sexual con-
tact, and offensive displays — naked pictures of women, Confederate fl ags,
nooses, etc.).

More difficult to control, however, are complaints by employees of color
that they are “ watched over ” more carefully than their White coworkers
(assumption of intellectual inferiority and/or criminality related to mistrust),
that comments by women in team meetings are ignored (invisibility and
assumption of inferiority), and that gay employees are often told by superiors
that they should wear looser clothes and/or are told “ We don ’ t like they way
you move ” (oversexualization and endorsement of heteronormative culture/
behaviors). The messages behind these microaggressions are that people of
color cannot be trusted or are less capable, and therefore require close monitor-
ing, that contributions of women are less worthy than those of men, and that
gays should conform to heterosexual roles. The unending parade of microag-
gressions creates a hostile and uninviting work environment for marginalized
groups in our society. Rather than being able to focus on their work and
productivity, they are left with having to attend to their own strong feelings
of anger, rage, and frustration.

Psychological Implications of Workplace
Microaggressions and Harassment
Being exposed to environments that contain racial, gender, and sexual -
orientation microaggressions, as indicated earlier, has major psychological
consequences. In her work with employees who experience chronic micro-
assaults, microinsults, and microinvalidations, Root (2003) has identifi ed ten
clusters of the most common symptoms likely to emerge in marginalized
employees. These clusters indicate that employees of color, women, and
LGBTs are struggling against wounds to core aspects of their spirit, reputation,
or personal integrity.

1. Anxiety — The employee experiences a dread of going to work, loses a
sense of identity with his/her work or career, may experience physical
problems (high blood pressure, migraine headaches), exacerbation of an
existing medical condition, or periods of anxiety and even panic attacks.
2. Paranoia — The self - consciousness created by second - guessing of others,
worry about the racial and gender attributions of others, fear of damage

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