A stereotype is defined as an exaggerated belief, image or distorted truth about a person or group- a generalization that allows for little or no individual differences or social variation that are based on images in mass media, or reputations passed on by parents, peers, and members of society(Teaching Tolerance, n.d.). This past week, I have heard different types of microaggressions used by different people. Microaggressions can come in multiple forms. I would like to share one of the microaggressions I heard this week, and I would also like to share an incident of an unintentional microaggression experienced by my sister. My family and I were in a casual conversation, when my mother mentioned a statement made by one of her co-workers. The statement was" Asian people can't drive because their eyes are slanted". What an ignorant statement. There are bad drivers in every race! My sister was at work; her and a few co-workers were listening to( an old rap song). One of her white co-workers, walked by and said" you all are listening to that ghetto music"? According to Dr. Sue that type of microaggression is called a "Micro-insult", because it attacks a person's heritage. Rap music is a form of poetry accompanied with an intense beat. Now, I am not a fan of most rap songs, but that statement would have been offensive to me. My sister did not get offended; she knew he meant no intentional harm.
My experiences this week, revealed the reality of microaggressions, and how they can effect our everyday interactions, and relationships. Microaggressions stem from ignorance. People allow stereotypes and ignorant beliefs, passed down from generation to generation, to influence their feelings and attitudes toward those different from them.
This class has taught me so much Margretta. Microaggressions is a form of ignorance and as early childcare professionals we have to hold people and other children accountable for this type of behavior.
ReplyDeleteWow...those are most definitely instances of microaggression. It is great that your sister did not get offended. It amazes me that someone may not truly realize what they say might be considered an insult. But sometimes it really shocks me that someone would make comments like those and not realize that they would be received as insults. Sometimes I really believe people speak without thinking and they don't consider how their words may impact others.
ReplyDeleteMagretta,
ReplyDeleteIt's actually ridiculous how many instances I observes this week. There are some that are very obvious and others that took me a while to recognize as microaggressions. It is easy to find them when you're the observer, did you find yourself committing some microaggressions of your own?
Annie P.