Examples of Racial Microaggressions - 8Asians



Examples of Racial Microaggressions

|Theme |Microaggression |Message |

|Alien in own land |“Where are you from?” |You are not American. |

|When Asian Americans and Latino |“Where were you born?” | |

|Americans are assumed to be |“You speak good English.” | |

|foreign-born |A person asking an Asian American to teach them|You are a foreigner. |

| |words in their native language | |

|Ascription of intelligence |Asking an Asian person to help with a |All Asians are intelligent and good |

|Assigning intelligence to a person of |math or science problem |inmath/sciences. |

|color on the basis of their race | | |

|Color blindness |“When I look at you, I don’t see color.” |Denying a person of color’s racial/ |

|Statements that indicate that a | |ethnic experiences. |

|White person does not want to |“America is a melting pot.” |Assimilate/acculturate to the |

|acknowledge race | |dominant culture. |

| |“There is only one race, the human race.” |Denying the individual as a racial/ |

| | |cultural being. |

|Denial of individual racism |“I’m not racist. I have several Black friends.”|I am immune to racism because Ihave |

|A statement made when Whites | |friends of color. |

|deny their racial biases |“As a woman, I know what you go |Your racial oppression is no different |

| |through as a racial minority.” |than my gender oppression. I can’t be a|

| | |racist. I’m like you. |

|Myth of meritocracy |“I believe the most qualified person should |People of color are given extra |

|Statements which assert that race |get the job.” |unfairbenefits because of their race. |

|does not play a role in life |“Everyone can succeed in this society, if |People of color are lazy |

|successes |they work hard enough.” |and/orincompetent and need to work |

| | |harder. |

|Pathologizing cultural values/ |Asking a Black person: “Why do you |Assimilate to dominant culture. |

|communication styles |have to be so loud/animated? Just calm | |

|The notion that the values and |down.” | |

|communication styles of the |To an Asian or Latino person: “Why are | |

|dominant/White culture are ideal |you so quiet? We want to know what | |

| |you think. Be more verbal.” “Speak up | |

| |more.” | |

| |Dismissing an individual who brings up |Leave your cultural baggage outside. |

| |race/culture in work/school setting | |

|Second-class citizen |Person of color mistaken for a service |People of color are servants toWhites. |

|Occurs when a White person is |worker |They couldn’t possibly occupy |

|given preferential treatment as a | |high-status positions. |

|consumer over a person of color |Having a taxi cab pass a person of color |You are likely to cause trouble and/or |

| |and pick up a White passenger |travel to a dangerous |

| | |neighborhood. |

|Second-class citizen |Being ignored at a store counter as |Whites are more valued customers |

|Occurs when a White person is |attention is given to the White customer |than people of color. |

|given preferential treatment as a |behind you | |

|consumer over a person of color |“You people . . . ” (and I would add, “some |You don’t belong. You are a lesser |

| |people” “these people”) |being. |

|Environmental microaggressions |A college or university with buildings that |You don’t belong/You won’t succeed |

|Macro-level microaggressions, |are all named after White heterosexual |here. There is only so far you can go. |

|which are more apparent on |upper class males | |

|systemic and environmental levels |Television shows and movies that feature |You are an outsider/You don’t exist. |

| |predominantly White people, without | |

| |representation of people of color | |

| | | |

Examples of Racial Microaggressions in Therapeutic Practice

| | | |

|Theme |Microaggression |Message |

|Color blindness |A therapist says “I think you are being too |Race and culture are not |

|Statements which indicate that |paranoid. We should emphasize similarities, not |important variables that affect |

|a White person does not |people’s differences” when a client of color |people’s lives. |

|want to acknowledge race |attempts to discuss her feelings about being the | |

| |only person of color at her job and feeling | |

| |alienated and dismissed by her co-workers. | |

| |A client of color expresses concern in discussing |Your racial experiences are not |

| |racial issues with her therapist. Her therapist |valid. |

| |replies with, “When I see you, I don’t see color.” | |

|Denial of individual racism |A client of color asks his or her therapist about |Your racial/ethnic experience is |

|A statement made when |how |not important. |

|Whites renounce their |race affects their working relationship. The | |

|racial biases |therapist replies, “Race does not affect the way I | |

| |treat you.” | |

| | |Your racial oppression is no |

| |A client of color expresses hesitancy in discussing|different than my gender |

| | |oppression. |

| |racial issues with his White female therapist. She | |

| |replies “I understand. As a woman, I face | |

| |discrimination also.” | |

|Myth of meritocracy |A school counselor tells a Black student that “if |People of color are lazy and/or |

|Statements which assert that |you |incompetent and need to work |

|race does not play a role in |work hard, you can succeed like everyone else.” |harder. If you don’t succeed, |

|succeeding in career |A career counselor is working with a client of |you have only yourself to |

|advancement or education. |color |blame (blaming the victim). |

| |who is concerned about not being promoted at | |

| |work despite being qualified. The counselor | |

| |suggests, “Maybe if you work harder you can | |

| |succeed like your peers.” | |

|Pathologizing cultural values/ |A Black client is loud, emotional, and |Assimilate to dominant culture. |

|communication styles |confrontational in a counseling session. The | |

|The notion that the values and |therapist diagnoses her with borderline | |

|communication styles of the |personality disorder. | |

|dominant/White culture are |A client of Asian or Native American descent has | |

|ideal |trouble maintaining eye contact with his therapist.| |

| | | |

| |The therapist diagnoses him with a social anxiety | |

| |disorder. |Leave your cultural baggageoutside. |

| |Advising a client, “Do you really think your | |

| |problem | |

| |stems from racism?” | |

|Second-class citizen |A counselor limits the amount of long-term |Whites are more valued than people |

|Occurs when a White person |therapy to provide at a college |of color. |

|is given preferential |counseling center; she chooses all | |

|treatment as a consumer |White clients over clients of color. |White clients are more valued than |

|over a person of color |Clients of color are not welcomed or |clientsof color. |

| |acknowledged by receptionists | |

| | | |

|Environmental microaggressions |A waiting room office has pictures of |You don’t belong/Only white people |

|Macro-level microaggressions, |American presidents. |cansucceed. |

|which are more apparent | | |

|on a systemic level |Every counselor at a mental health clinic is |You are an outsider/You don’t exist.|

| |White. | |

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download