I observed my actions this week as well as others around me. As luck would have it, I did not experience any examples of microagressions. Therefore, I have to share a previous example of a microagreesion that I experienced. This microagression would be considered to be a racial microagression and took place when I was working at a radio station in Southwestern Michigan. We were a pretty tight night group and everyone got along great. In fact, we were all friends with each other and knew everything about each other inside and outside of the workplace. One day, a visiting operations manager from another station owned by our radio group was paying a visit. He was getting ready to go to lunch and needed some input on where to eat and where to find good ribs. Without thinking he asked my friend and co-worker Tiffany if she knew where he could find good ribs in the area. Why Tiffany you ask and no one else? I am assuming it is because she was African American. With a disgusted and ticked-off look on her face, Tiffany responded in a very professional way “I am sorry Sir, I have no idea. I wish I could help”. Not only was this individual insulting my friend and co-worker without thinking, he also neglected to get to know her well enough to find out that she was a vegetarian.
Through this exercise this week, I have discovered that what we say intentionally and unintentionally always has the potential to hurt or demean an individual. It was also discovered that our internal biases, stereotypes, and prejudices are more apparent than we think through our words and actions. The scenarios presented in our discussion this week are prime example of this occurrence. Although I believe that this factors will always be present in most individuals to some degree, it is critical that we as early childhood professionals continually think before we think or act.
Hello Mary,
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with you that the visitor should have a least gave your friend a chance to be heard. This type of situation always comes up when I am with my sister. My sister and I are both big, and when ever the question of food comes up, we are usually the first people ask, sometimes we jokingly respond other times we get offended, but it is all in a days work.
Mary, I enjoyed reading about your experience of witnessing microaggression. It was shocking to hear that a person would actually go up to someone and asked them that without getting to know them. I know it made your co-worker feel very disrespected that he said that to her by assuming that all Blacks eat ribs.
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