Page 53 - Microaggressions in Everyday Live Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation

Environmental Microaggressions 27

In general, Chief Illiniwek, portrayed by a White student in Sioux regalia,
was said to create a hostile environment toward diversity, hinder develop-
ment of a positive learning community, promote an inaccurate image of
Native Americans, and assail the integrity of indigenous peoples. Numerous
organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People, the National Education Association, Amnesty International, and National
Congress of American Indians Society Americas supported the retirement of
Chief Illiniwek (Wikipedia, 2009).
For years the university, the majority of the student body, and even the
Illinois state legislature supported the mascot because it was meant to
honor Native Americans and was a beloved symbol of the spirit of a great
university. Native Americans, however, often asked, “ Why don ’ t we feel hon-
ored? ” In February 2007, after decades of controversy, Chief Illiniwek was
retired. This example not only points to how microaggressions may be delivered
environmentally, but it points out a strong dilemma that Chapter 3 covers: the
clash of realities between Whites and people of color, men and women, and
straights and gays. As an epilogue, it is sad to note that, although not in the

role of an official mascot, Chief Illiniwek has nevertheless reappeared on
the University of Illinois campus in 2008 under the banner of “ free speech. ”
Environmental microaggressions are powerful and can be transmitted
through numerical imbalance of one ’ s own group (Purdie - Vaughns et al.,
2008), mascots or symbols, and inaccurate media portrayals of marginalized
groups in films, television, radio, print media, and educational curriculum

(books, course content, films, etc.). The sheer exclusion of decorations, literature,
and ethnic aesthetic - cultural forms like music, art, language, and food can also
assail the racial, gender, or sexual identity of various groups.
In a revealing study, researchers found that “ diversity cues ” (number of
minority members at a worksite, diversity philosophy communicated through
company brochures, etc.) in corporate America directly affected the per-
ception of threat or safety experienced by Black American job applicants
(Purdie - Vaughns et al., 2008). The researchers explored the institutional cues
rather than interpersonal ones that signaled either safety or threat to African
Americans. Environmental conditions directly impacted how marginalized
groups perceive whether they will be valued or demeaned in mainstream
settings. The term “ social identity contingencies ” refers to how individuals
from stigmatized groups anticipate whether their group membership will be
threatened (devalued or perceived negatively) or valued in corporate America.
When the cues signal threat, lack of trust ensues, feelings of safety diminish,

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