MICROAGGRESSIONS
JENNY LOPEZ
GOALS
• Create awareness of microaggressions
• Understand how microaggressions can be
experienced from various marginalized
constituencies at the University of Wisconsin
Oshkosh.
• Understand how can we address microaggressions
as or shortly after they occur.
• Support the University’s overarching vision around
diversity and inclusion through an awareness of
microaggressions.
MICROAGGRESSIONS
Brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or
environmental indignities, whether intentional or
unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory,
or negative slights and insults towards people who
have been historically marginalized.
Dr. Sue, D. W.
MICROINEQUITIES
• The ways in which individuals are "either singled out, or
overlooked, ignored, or otherwise discounted" based on an
unchangeable characteristic such as race or gender.
• A microinequity generally takes the form of a gesture, different
kind of language, treatment, bias or even tone of voice.
TYPES OF MICROAGRESSIONS
• MICROINSULT
• MICROASSAULT
• MICROINVALIDATION
MICROINSULT
Verbal and nonverbal communications that subtly
conveys rudeness and insensitivity as well as demeans
a person.
Microinsults are often unconscious behaviors.
MICROASSAULT
Conscious and intentional biased beliefs, actions or
slurs. These are usually expressed covertly or overtly
towards marginalized group.
Mircoassaults are usually conscious acts.
MICROINVALIDATION
Communications that subtly exclude, negate or
nullify the thoughts, feelings or experiential reality of a
marginalized person.
Microinvalidations are often unconscious acts
CATEGORIES OF AND RELATIONSHIP
AMONG MICROAGRESSIONS
ACTIVITY
P L E A S E C O M P L E T E T H E WO R K S H E E T P R O V I D E D
IMPACTS OF MICROAGGRESSIONS ON
MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS
• Harm to mental health
• Emotional turmoil
• Low self-esteem
• Energy depletion
• Catch-22 of responding
• Can create hostile and invalidating work/education
climate
• Shifting behaviors based upon group present
• Sleep disturbance
• Depression and isolation
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VIDEO
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
• Someone who has committed an microaggression
or insult
• Remember the conversation
• Manage your feelings of defensiveness/be open to hearing
difficult feedback
• Listen intently to what happened
• Reflect on what you heard
• Take responsibility
• Don’t try to prove your view or how much of a ______ist you
are not
• Share how you can make it different (if possible)
• Follow up
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
• Marginalized Group Members
• Make effort to talk about your experiences with colleagues
just to make sure that you aren’t being treated unfairly
• Find a support network
• Check out the patterns
• Ask objective questions (explain and elaborate)
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
• Advocates
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Make the “invisible” visible
Develop expertise
Establish trust
Provide appropriate service to diverse populations
Become aware of your own values, biases and assumptions
Understand intent doesn’t equal impact
QUESTIONS?