Micro- Aggressions - Everyday indignities that are communicated through words, behaviors or the environment - intentionally or unintentionally - with an insulting message behind it (Laureate Education Inc., 2013).
On Tuesday, I was in a salon listening to a conversation between two women who did not know each other. One was a technician and the other a client. The technician was talking about a previous client and how much she talked. She stated that the previous client was from Texas and "you know how people form Texas talk all the time". The client who she was working with then said I am actually from Texas also.
The technician marginalized and invalidated her client's experiential reality by stereotyping people form another region of the country.
This week as I have been reading, thinking and writing about racism, classism, ableism and religion-ism I have also been thinking of all the other isms there are that divide us as humans. The above example is how we as Americans marginalize each other simply because of where we live. South vs North. Coast vs Middle. Rural vs Urban. Blue vs Red. Isn't it time we share some common goals? Isn't it time to cooperate rather than compete based on our geographic region? Isn't it time to lift each other up rather then tear each other down? Isn't it time to realize that until we work together our country is never going to be everything it can be?
On a lighter note. I am left handed. I have noticed that when I use my credit card, most of the time the sales person puts my sales slip on the counter for me to sign they turn it for a right handed person to sign. I then take the receipt turn it the other direction. I know that this is a habit and has nothing to do with malice, but again it does tell me I am in the minority of dominant handedness.
Everyday people inadvertently say and do things that send a messages that marginalize or invalidate the experiences of others. We all do it. I know that after intentionally watching for micro-aggression in my day to day interactions I will certainly be more mindful of in the way I communicate with others.
References:
Laureate
Education Inc. (2013). Microaggressions in Everyday Life. Retrieved from:
https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_3466978_1%26url%3D
Oh wow, your explanation on the receipt was very interesting. I never thought that to be a way to select others in a minority. I am right handed, but my mother is left handed and she always does have to move the receipt when they give it to her. I really enjoyed reading your post! Great detail!
ReplyDeleteI am left handed also and I think that it is just a thing that people often do to me as well. I can relate to you on this part I find it funny that instead of the cashiers or who ever it is at the time giving us the pen in our hand and the paper they just sit it down thinking that everyone is suppose to be right handed. I know don't do it purposely and it does not bother me until they make a comment and say that's weird how I turn the whole paper around just to sign. After reading your blog I found it interesting that the client in the salon just assumed that people from Texas talk a lot without getting to know them. I enjoyed reading your blog.
ReplyDelete