Page 85 - Microaggressions in Everyday Live Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation

The Catch-22 of Responding to Microaggressions 59

in both roles. As such, it should be easier to understand how damaging
microaggressions are to marginalized groups in our society. A gay man
who has experienced heterosexist microaggressions can use that experi-
ence to more honestly appraise his own attitudes and behaviors toward
African Americans. When Black Americans speak about racial microag-
gressions they have experienced from others or even from you personally,
it is important to attempt to understand. I am often amazed about how
similar experiences of discrimination (racial, gender, or sexual orientation)
do not necessarily make it easier to relate to other oppressed groups.
One would think that having experienced oppression, an oppressed
group member would find it easier to relate to other devalued groups.

None of us are free from inheriting the racial, gender, and sexual-orienta-
tion biases of our ancestors and society. We are all victims in one way or
another by a social conditioning process that has imbued within us biases,
fears, and stereotypes about others. We must be honest with ourselves
and be willing to own up to our shortcomings. Becoming defensive or
using our own oppression to invalidate other socially devalued groups
(e.g., “I have it worse than you”) is a form of microaggression itself.
2. Contrary to what many well-intentioned people believe, it is important
for the general public and especially those in employment, health
care, and education to realize the detrimental consequences of racial,
gender, and sexual-orientation microaggressions. As indicated in the
chapter, many psychologists are unsympathetic with those who con-
duct research on microaggressions and claim that they are detrimen-
tal to the well-being of marginalized groups. They assert that these
claims are “building a mountain out of a molehill,” “exaggerating their
effects,” and “inaccurately painting targets as weak and unable to deal
with small slights.” In essence, they express minimal sympathy for the
plight of people of color, women, or LGBTs who complain about the
everyday slights and indignities visited upon them. As long as people
perceive microaggressions as innocent and “small hurts” delivered by
good, moral, and decent people, inaction in practice and policy will
allow the continuance of injustice and unfairness to fl ourish without
conscious awareness. It is important for people to realize that contrary
to a belief that microaggressions do minimal harm, research reveals
that they oppress, create disparities in our society toward marginal-
ized groups, and contribute to psychological stress and distress for
these groups.

(Continued)

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