Introduction
Microaggression as a term was introduced to the science in the 1970s and, since then, has been actively researched by scholars and discussed by publicity. It addresses the discrimination of the minorities by race, gender, sexual orientation and includes such subcategories as microassaults, microinsults, and microinvalidations that characterize microaggression in its different manifestations (Wiliams 7). Many scholars argue that the problem of microaggression in the modern US society is exaggerated and there is no urgency in the implementation of any interventions aimed at its resolving. However, the variety of everyday situations experienced by the minorities in their social, professional, and educational life, as well as their adverse outcomes, imply the need for further research in the field. In Lilienfeld’s opinion, the study of this issue poses even more unresolved questions which doubt the necessity of any interventions targeting microaggression. Nevertheless, universities and businesses should continue to offer microaggression sensitivity training for their employees due to the acuity of the equality problems in the contemporary, diverse US society.
Presentation of the Evidence Supporting the Thesis
In his article “Microaggression?”, Scott O Lilienfeld, a professor of psychology at Emory college, argues the necessity of addressing minor manifestations of racism or any other forms of discrimination from the scientific point of view. At the same time, the author includes some proofs of the existence of the problem. Indeed, the very phenomenon of microaggression is recognized by sociology and psychology as a vitally important question to be researched (Lilienfeld). The statistical data retrieved as a result of researches underlines the acuity of the discrimination problem in the United States of America. According to the observations and sociological questionnaires, about 5 percent of American citizens shred their reluctance to vote for an African American president (Lilienfeld). Also, another study conducted by Ong et al. identified that over a two week time period 78% of the Asian Americans participants experienced a microaggression” (qtd. in Williams 6). Such studies and poll results imply explicitly show the presence of microaggression as a social issue in modern-day America.
Moreover, such undisclosed demonstration of intolerance against minorities and the expression of dominance over them lead to adverse psychological outcomes. According to Lilienfeld, the majority of those researching the problem state that microaggression provokes anxiety, high levels of stress, and isolation. It negatively affects the emotional environment in the workplace and is potential to decrease performance efficiency. In some cases, it might as well lead to the victim’s suicide. Constant experiencing the hidden discrimination on the basis of prejudiced opinions might cause difficulties in workplaces, educational institutions or communities.
That is why a lot of institutions develop a series of interventions and programs targeting the awareness of microaggression in the group of people. The interventions such as seminars, workshops, and training classes in the universities and colleges address the importance of “identifying and avoiding microaggressions” (Lilienfeld). Educational institutions are not the only field where the issue is regarded as a threat to the comfortable workspace for everyone. Big corporations also tend to implement policies tolerating diversity and put effort to preserve equal rights for minorities eliminating any expression of discrimination. Recent events in Coca-Cola emphasized the question of racial tolerance in the corporation when more than a dozen of its workers “filed a racial discrimination suit” against the company’s policy (Williams 6). Thus, big companies establish training for their employees to raise awareness about microaggression, teach how to avoid, detect and deal with it in the workplace (Lilienfeld). A developed system of interventions has a potential to raise caution about the issue and train microaggression sensitivity to guarantee comfortable environment for minorities.
However, the increased focus on the elimination of any display of discrimination towards racial or ethnic minorities imposes another difficulty which also becomes a manifestation of microaggression. Some companies utilize the policy of colorblindness intentionally ignoring race or ethnicity (Williams 7). Colorblindness is regarded as a denial of the overall possibility of hidden discrimination and thus becomes a microinvalidation which is a type of discrimination that rejects the “psychological and emotional experience of minorities” (Williams 6). The more progressive approach tends to provide not the equality between the different groups of people but rather to educate respect for the minorities and the identity of their members.
The Opposing Opinion as Presented in Lilienfeld’s Article
The problem of microaggression is somewhat controversial and presents an array of opposing points of view. Lilienfeld argues that the overall adversity of this phenomenon is entirely subjective. He justifies his opinion stating that no one has ever testified that they have experienced microaggression that would have caused any particular harm. The relative clarity of the classification of discrimination behaviors or actions does not allow any concerns about minorities to be judged as the expression of dominance or aggression. The question the author asks retrieves an implicit message from the behavior addressed as the microaggression. He says “If one person interprets the comment as patronizing and hostile while another sees it as supportive, should it be classified as a microaggression?” (Lilienfeld). Therefore, Lilienfeld underlines that sometimes people might incorrectly identify the message or misread its meaning. Nevertheless, the overall existence of the increased attention to the interests of the minorities imposes controversial attitudes and, therefore, might be regarded as a manifestation of microaggression itself.
My personal knowledge and experiences of some of my acquaintances allow me to recognize some of the cases of microaggression in everyday life situations. For example, some people try to demonstrate their relationships with people of color to underline the absence of racism in their behavior. It might be expressed even verbally when such a person mention that she is in friendly relationships with an African American thus proving that he or she tolerates racial diversity. However, such an emphasis is a manifestation of microaggression because there is an implicit message that separates a person of color from everyone else. I have witnessed some of the nonverbal discrimination attitudes in unusual circumstances. For example, there was a situation when a man lost his wallet in the store but accused an African American customer in stealing it. It was an expression of a prejudiced attitude based on the belief that the people of color are criminals.
A similar tendency to show microaggression is observed in media or telecommunications. Sometimes, the eagerness to teach tolerance and respect to ethnic minorities or gender equality results in blind attraction of the representatives of these groups regardless of their professional competency. It is done with an aim to demonstrate that media tolerates diversity and has the representatives of all minority groups. However, it is also regarded as microaggression because, like colorblindness, it does not show any sincere respect toward the sensitive groups of people.
The mentioned observations and examples might be supported with the help of research data. Religion, as well as race and ethnicity, is also one of the main reasons for microaggression. Islamophobia, as one of the types of discrimination, enforces educators to provide corresponding training programs to articulate the issue and minimize its negative outcomes (Maarouf 41). Some programs are moving further in their attempts to address diversity in the educational sphere. The universities and colleges introduce microaggression sensitivity training among the employees not only with the aim of educating the students to recognize and minimize discrimination. They also organize training for the educators who have to maintain the process of communication with different minorities and provide self-care to prevent disputed situations (Miller at al. 14). When viewed from a broader perspective, the problem of hidden manifestations of domination or intolerance becomes a significant issue in the shift in morality and culture (Campbell and Manning 692). Consequently, there is a vital need for the implementation of training and educating interventions to raise awareness about and eliminate any kind of discrimination or oppression.
Conclusion
In conclusion, microaggression is a verbal or nonverbal demonstration of discrimination against a group or an individual on the basis of their gender, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Recent studies have attempted to investigate the issue although imposing even more unanswered questions. However, the variety of everyday situations observed in the modern US society, as well as the statistical and research data, prove the acuity of microaggression as a problem. The issue is unresolved and has a harmful effect on the separate individuals and the American society as a whole. Therefore, these facts underline the need for educational institutions and businesses to continue to offer microaggression sensitivity training for their employees.
Works Cited
Campbell, Bradley, and Jason Manning. “Microaggression and Moral Cultures.” Comparative Sociology, vol. 13, no. 6, 2014, pp. 692-726.
Lilienfeld, Scott O. “Microaggressions?” Aeon, 2017.
Maarouf, Saoussan. “Can Teacher Preparation Programs Have an Impact on Combating Islamophobia in Public Schools?” Feather Boas, Black Hoodies, and John Deere Hats, edited by J.R. Jones, Sense Publishers, 2017, pp. 41-50.
Miller, R. A. et al. “Educating Through Microaggressions: Self-Care for Diversity Educators.” Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, vol. 55, no. 1, 2018, pp. 14-26,
Williams, Ashly. “Modern-Day Racism in the Workplace: Symbolic Diversity or Real Change?” From Science to Practice: Organizational Psychology Bulletin, vol. 1, no. 1, 2015, pp. 6-10.