Microaggressions in Everyday Life

Let me tell you a piece of my mind about microaggressions

According to Dr. Derald Wing Sue, Professor of Psychology and Education from the Teacher College at Columbia University, microaggressions are brief everyday indignities that can be verbal, behavioral or environmental. These can also be intentional or unintentional. Usually microaggressions contain an insulting or belittling message. Microaggressions hidden messages often cause severe psychological stress and harm to their target, mainly because the attack comes from a place of a non-threat. In truth, they reflect a view of inclusion versus exclusion, inferiority and superiority; one group is better than the other. These perspectives on diversity often happen outside our level of awareness… We are conditioned to think, repeat and use microaggressions (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).

Interested? Keep on reading this blog... 

I want to share how I have witnessed microaggressions in my everyday life. I have not only been a target for microaggressions, but I have used a few of them myself: 

I have heard repeatedly how hot and spicy Latin women are. Media images of actresses like Sofia Vergara and Jennifer Lopez help to promote this message. Maybe it can be perceived as a compliment, but it also gives a hidden message of Latinas as objectified beauties. Not to mention perpetuates a terrible stereotype of having bad tempers. 

I once told a dear friend she was really good with money, because of her Jewish heritage. At the time it was meant as a joke, but it was not received well, and it should not have been. The hidden message was that Jewish people are frugal, a terrible stereotype with negative connotations.

I told another high school friend he was quite articulate for an African American. He responded with a remark about how he makes it a point to not use slang and pronounce the words properly. This was awful to have put him in this position. I unintentionally marginalized his abilities and undermined him for his ethnicity.

I often used the term “third world” to refer to the developing nations, and now I can see how offensive this can be perceived. No one should be referred to as a less than human or as a second class citizen. We are all citizens of this world.

Here comes the conclusion... 

My least favorite microaggression is the use of the word ‘gay’ as a derogatory insult:

“You’re so gay, stop being a sissy” “That shirt is gay” “That band is so gay” etc. I’m sorry but no inanimate object has a sexual preference, yet the adjective gay seems to be used quite freely.

Unless you are referring to a person who is a homosexual; or using the word as in the adjective of happy/cheerful, please do not use the word gay. It is just plain wrong. 

Sadly at school my child was lectured by her classmates for saying her mom is gay. They said she was naughty for using a “bad” word about her mother. <<Gasp>> How could she?

Obviously these children are ignorant, being educated through narrow minded perspectives. There is no insult from the word ‘gay.’ It is the way is implemented that is negative and can become a microassault, an intentional form of microaggression. As parents and educators we need to be prepared to change and educate our children. Let’s start by becoming aware ourselves about the microaggressions we currently use. 

What microaggressions have you used? What microaggressions have you been a target of? Sharing will create awareness and bring to light the hidden messages.

Thanks for reading & sharing!

Angie

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References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Microaggressions in everyday life [DVD]. Perspectives on diversity and equity. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Thoughts on Culture and Diversity

This week the assignment was simple: Ask three people to define culture and diversity. At first I went to my friends and family, coworker and spouse. Their answers were focused on superficial culture. They listed information about traditions, holidays, cuisine, and ethnicity. Then I started to think about my own children and their thoughts on diversity.
Early this week one of my daughters Emmy made an innocent yet disturbing comment. "Mommy, do you think I look American? I know I don't look Latina like you, I mean I am not tan, or you know look Latina." My response: "Emmy what does American look like?" She looked up and replied "You know like not like you".
This short conversation started me thinking about the messages my children were receiving about culture and diversity. Cultural identity starts from early in life; since preschool young children are figuring out who they are and the rules of their social culture (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).

In her article "Beyond the illusion of diversity: How early childhood teachers can promote social justice," Gloria S. Boutte talks about how children process lessons in diversity.  She states "young children are continuously internalizing messages about people who are different  than they are—even when parents value diversity" (Boutte, 2008, p. 166).  I wondered what messages my children are receiving from me, school, peers and media.

I interviewed my oldest children (9 and 6 year old) about their thoughts on culture & diversity. The results of the interview were, for lack of a better term, disheartening. I cannot believe my own deficit of educating my children on diversity.


Here are some brief pieces of the interviews. Emmy is 9 years old and Gabby is 6 years old.

Me: Emmy what is culture to you?
Emmy: Culture... What Indians and Chinese people do (shaking her head with bollywood dance pose), they follow their religion and follow their culture. Like we... I don't know what we do, but other people do this... I don't know, that's it.
Me: And what it's diversity?
Emmy: Diversity... I think I learned this in fourth grade... I learned this in fourth grade. Hmmm... How everybody is different?Ugh ah I suck at social studies (bangs her head with her hand).
Me: Did you learn about culture and diversity at home?
Emmy: If you call that thing you do over there culture (referring to my praying ritual)... Yeah I guess.
Me: Gabby do you know what culture means?
Gabby: I have no idea what culture means...
Me: Have you learned about culture at school?
Gabby: Nooooo
Me: Have you heard us mention culture at home?
Gabby: Nope.
Me: What about diversity?
Gabby: (shakes her head)
Me: Ok. What is your culture?
Gabby: (lifts shoulder) I don't know (laughs). 

 

These interviews made me wonder about the types of messages and information adults give children. Culture is exotic, culture is something others practice, my customs are just the norm. Culture and diversity are part of social studies class. etc.
This assignment was truly a teachable moment. I learned just as much as the girls. We later talked about differences, languages, being Latina...

Perhaps next time they are asked what culture is they will have a better answer!

Here is a short clip of one of the interviews :

References

Boutte, G.S. (2008). Beyond the illusion of diversity: How early childhood teachers can promote social justice. Social Studies, 99(4), 165–173.

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J.O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Insights about my culture

This new class is going to be full of unexpected insights! We are learning about ourselves and our unique cultural diversity. This week’s blog entry touches on a topic of material items that represent our culture…

We start by imagining the following scenario:

A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of my country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. My immediate family and I are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, I have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. I am told that the host country’s culture is completely different from mine, and that I might have to stay there permanently. In addition to one change of clothes, I can only take 3 small items with me. I decide to take three items that I hold dear and that represent my family culture.

What are the three items I would choose?

I was going to say my cell phone, laptop and iPad. But then I realized that perhaps technology is obsolete in a different country; and without the ability to charge these items, I would only have some fancy door stoppers. Therefore my list was amended as follows:

1. A family photo album (at least one picture of each family members)
2. A recipe book (containing traditional Colombian recipes)
3. A journal to document my memories 

How you would explain to others what each of these items means to you?

These three items are meant to help me recreate part of my culture. The photo album provides the visual. The recipes recreate the flavors and traditions. The journal ties it together with the stories. The items alone do not have any meaning. It is my recollection and explanation of their importance that will explain my culture to others.

Your feelings if, upon arrival, you were told that you could only keep one personal item and have to give up the other two items you brought with you

I probably keep the photo album. I can always remember recipes and re-write stories, but I could never replace the photographs.

Any insights you gained about yourself, your family culture, diversity, and/or cultural differences in general, as a result of this exercise

I was not aware of my dependence on electronics. This entry took time to think because in all honestly all my culture is currently tied into electronics. If a disaster were to truly strike without warning, I do not know if I have any non-electronic item to take with me. All my photos, books, journals and even recipes are in my various gadgets. My identity and culture has been tied to the commodities of the modern world. I fear my children would probably never know a time where we had to develop film in order to get photographs. But all electronics depend on technology, electricity and even internet access. Our culture is being stored in machines, and can be wiped away with the loss of energy power. Perhaps continuing to teach our children to use books and write in journals is a good idea!

My most important job is to pass on my traditions to my children...