Blog Assignment: Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

This week we were asked to observe our own and other people’s verbal interactions and detect examples of microaggression.   Micro-Aggression for those who don't know; is unintended offenses that can create  feelings of worthlessness, inadequacy uncertainty, inferiority, and just plain unsettling emotions in people from the ill directed remarks or behaviors of others. 

QUESTION 1: Describe at least one example of a microaggression which you detected this week or remember from another time. In what context did the microaggression happen? What did you think and feel when you observed the microaggression or when you found yourself as the target of a microaggression?

A microagression that I remember from a little earlier this year came from a skinny co-worker towards a more "healthier" coworker.  We were all eating lunch, and the skinny one who's always eating healthy and counting calories said to the other "...yeah well should YOU be eating THAT?"  Her microagression was a brief, verbal indignity with an insulting message. And our coworker responded: well, yeah maybe you're right.  Since I'm a plus size I know how she must have felt. If it was me, I would have felt insulted, sad and/or angry.  I mean she might as well said "ANOTHER CHEESEBURGER YOU FAT B*TCH!"

I felt some type of way when I seen my other's co worker's face so, I opened my mouth and said "last time I checked she was a grown woman capable of making her own decisions and she can eat what she wants as long as she's healthy.  If you're not paying her bills or putting money in her pocket maybe you should worry about your own concerns".  But I really wanted to say something very unchristian like, lol.

From this week, my Male Asian doctor said to me he doesn't understand why you women want to be so touchy no need to get offended.  Again it was a verbal indignity but this time to me it reflected a view of superiority.  He must've felt he was better than me since he's not "that touchy".  Im not sure if it was the cultural difference why he didn't understand or just a male thing why he didn't understand.  Either way, I was offended by his comment and tried to explain to him my view and feelings.

Question 2: In what ways did your observation experiences this week affect your perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people. 

For me it just brought to the forefront of my mind, the fact that everyday discrimination is still alive, well and kicking, it's just taking on new forms.  And it makes people feel the same way today that it did 100 years ago.  Like nothing!