Responding to Microaggressions

Microaggressions are one outgrowth of implicit bias. Columbia University’s Derald Wing Sue defines this term as “prejudices that leak out in many interpersonal situations and decision points”; they are experienced as “slights, insults, indignities, and denigrating messages.”  -From Edutopia article, Implicit Bias and Microaggressions.

In a 2007 article for American Psychologist, Sue and other researchers identified three categories of racial microaggressions:

Over the years, the concept has been extended beyond race to include similar events and experiences of other marginalized groups, including women, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, etc.

Microaggressions in the Classroom

Reflection Activity

Try responding to and/or doing the following: