When you hear stereotypes or even experience, you have to
question where it comes from. I was riding with a friend to do some food
shopping for Thanksgiving, when she was cut off. It was a very scary few
seconds. The driver was an Asian person, and she said see they can't
drive. The statement was not meant to hurt, but it probably would have
hurt if the person hears her say it. It was an insult that was directed
towards the race (microinsults) but meant as a way to release the stress that
she felt as a result of being cut off. I thought back on the readings
from this week and had to acknowledge that we see and hear microaggressions
more than we should. I don't see a change on how I see discrimination or
stereotypes, and prejudices that are placed on people, I have been aware of
them for as long as I can remember and often talk about where the
microaggressions may have come from. I try not to buy into any of it, but
we all have something that comes from some mental residue (Teaching Tolerance)
that has to be dealt with.
Resources:
"Microaggressions in Everyday Life"
Teaching Tolerance. (n.d.). Test yourself for hidden
bias. Retrieved May 25, 2011, from http://www.tolerance.org/activity/test-yourself-hidden-bias
I, like you, have been aware of comments as such made by your friend, for years. Since childhood I was always very senstiive to the beliefs, traditions and uniqueness of others. I'm certain that I commit many microaggressions each day, but I have a keen awareness to the emotions of others.
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