What is
Microaggression
Microaggression is a term used to describe intentional or unintentional comments or attitudes towards a member of a marginalized group. These remarks may be verbal or subtle acts that are perceived as discriminatory or exclusionary. Microaggressions can be particularly harmful to target groups based on their race, gender, sexuality or socio-economic status.
Microaggression is a term that refers to covert or overt put-downs that may demean a person’s race, sexual orientation, age or other intrinsic trait. The term was first coined by psychiatrist Chester Pierce in the 1970s to describe subtle insults that African Americans experience. The use of the term has since expanded to encompass those from any marginalized group. Examples of microaggressions include commenting on how well a student speaks English, which may imply that this is unexpected for someone of a particular nationality or cultural background. Another example includes failing to learn to pronounce a student’s name after they have corrected you.