Page 58 - Microaggressions in Everyday Live Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation

32 taxonomy of microaggressions

Table 2.1 Examples of Racial, Gender, and Sexual-Orientation Microaggressions
THEMES MICROAGGRESSION MESSAGE
Alien in One’s Own Land “Where are you from?”
When Asian Americans “Where were you born?” You are not American.
and Latino Americans “You speak English very
are assumed to be well.”
foreign-born.
A person asking an Asian You are a foreigner.
American to teach them
words in their native
language.
Ascription of Intelligence “You are a credit to your People of color are
Assigning intelligence race.” generally not as intelligent
to a person of color or as Whites.
woman based on their “Wow! How did you It is unusual for a woman to
race/gender. become so good in be smart in math.
math?”
Asking an Asian person to All Asians are intelligent
help with a math or science and good in math/sciences.
problem.
Color Blindness “When I look at you, I don’t Denying a person of
Statements that indicate see color.” color’s racial/ethnic
that a White person does experiences.
not want to acknowledge “America is a melting pot.” Assimilate/acculturate to
race. dominant culture.
“There is only one race, the Denying the individual as a
human race.” racial/cultural being.

Criminality/Assumption A White man or woman You are a criminal.
of Criminal Status clutches their purse or
A person of color checks their wallet as a
is presumed to be Black or Latino approaches
dangerous, criminal, or or passes.
deviant based A store owner following a You are going to steal/
on their race. customer of color around You are poor/You do not
the store. belong.
A White person waits to You are dangerous.
ride the next elevator when
a person of color is on it.
Use of Sexist/ Use of the pronoun “he” to Male experience is
Heterosexist Language refer to all people. universal.
Terms that exclude or Female experience is
degrade women and meaningless.
LGBT persons.
(Continued)

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