Microaggression

Practicing Awareness of Microaggression  

Josephine Diete-Spiff

Walden University

Microaggression

Microaggression expression specifies the views of certain persons concerning another in an insulting manner deliberately or unconsciously (DeSalles, Morigeau, & Michaels, 2018; Laureate Education (Producer)., 2011). Such conditions happen when a person feels superior to another person. These insults are spoken or made subtly, but it still can cause harm to the person targeted as inferior. 

Microaggression Example

I hail from an oil-rich coastal kingdom in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. Our kingdom (community) is an Island and an oil merchant main base (host company). The lighting (electricity) system is generated and distributed by the host company, and my community has enjoyed constant 24-hour light, which is alien to my country. However, the light began to have issues from last month, affecting the festive period adversely. The people complained, but the host company ignored them. When I visited the community in the festive period, I had to use generators. 

Thus, a couple of weeks ago, agitation worsens among the women, and I asked my woman leader to hold a meet with the women and give me feedback on their anxiety. The feedback read in part that the women have resolved to riot to establish their anger against the host company for lack of electricity. Then I waded into the light issue, and within a week, the matter became settled and the light restored. I then asked the host company to send a senior manager to visit the community and apologize with a firm promise that such incidence will not happen again. Hence, in the outing meeting, one of the men stood up to speak and made this remark, which I found offensive and microaggressive in nature. 

He said, "Your Majesty, I would not have predicted that you will be the one to resolve the issue of light in this community. I detected he implied that because I am a woman, it was abnormal for me to have problem-solving skills. Conversely, denying my ability to have excellent negotiating skills because I am a woman. I felt slighted and unappreciated after assisting the members of the community in having light. Without being provocative, I calmly reminded him that it would not be my first time helping the community to resolve issues with the host company. 

Discrimination

Discrimination denotes an unequal choice, unjust behavior of a person, or group towards another based on their race, gender, disability, age, among others (Arrow, 1973; Bertrand & Duflo, 2017; Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). My observation experience affected my perception of the effects of discrimination unpleasantly because I saw that discrimination is more rampant than I imagine. People have learnt to dislike others and deny them what is due them because of their situations of birth, or sex, which is not their making. People who feel they are superior to others have a set belief derived from orientation and teachings (Margles & Margles, 2010).

Prejudice 

Prejudice, according to Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010), specifies a situation where people form an opinion about others without proof. Prejudice can lead to bias against a person or group. In this week's observation study, my knowledge of prejudice improved. I now understand what the term means and how to avoid being prejudicial in my judgment of others. 

Stereotype

Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) denotes stereotype as a term used offensively in generalizing a group of persons. Similarly, Zivony & Saguy (2018) specifies stereotype learning theories submits that only persons with knowledge about a group stereotype them. My perception of the term stereotype was negatively affected as I observed that people become grouped in an insulting manner because of one person's misbehavior. For instance, money-conscious is the stereotype label for the Igbo tribe in my country. It starts as a tale that a man was sick in the hospital, and his staff goes to show their support. The ill man gets offended that his business is left unattended. The Igbo man is then stereotyped as valuing money more than sound health. Conversely, the generalization might not be correct for every Igbo man. 

Conclusion

This study's week observation experience had implications on my perceptions about macroaggression, discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes. My implications on these terminologists were adversely affected. Before this study, I have taken the terms at face level and felt it exaggerated among people. Now that I am enlightened on the subjects and experienced the actions surrounding them, I am more determined to see that the children kept under my care are not infiltrated with such behaviors to enable them to have value and respect for others. The essence of having value and respect for others is to foster peaceful coexistence among people to facilitate positive, healthier living, and more significant achievement.

Reference

Arrow, K. (1973). The theory of discrimination. Discrimination In Labor Markets, 3(10), 3-33.

Bertrand, M., & Duflo, E. (2017). Field experiments on discrimination. In Handbook Of Economic Field Experiments (1), 309-393. North-Holland.

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).

DeSalles, L., Morigeau, J., & Michaels, J. (2018). The evolution of microaggressions against native Americans in Montana history books. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.umt.edu/umcur/2018/amposters/13/

Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Microaggressions in everyday life [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Margles, S., & Margles, M. (2010). Inverting racism's distortions. Our Schools, Our Selves, 19, 137-149. Retrieved from https://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.proquest.com%2Fdocview%2F872774698%3Faccountid%3D14872

Zivony, A., & Saguy, T. (2018). Stereotype deduction about bisexual women. The Journal of Sex Research, 55(4-5), 666-678.