•Describe at least
one example of a microaggression which you detected this week or remember from
another time. In what context did the microaggression happen? What did you
think and feel when you observed the microaggression or when you found yourself
as the target of a microaggression?
A macroaggression that I've seen this week was one of a
coworker assuming that because a male was openly gay that he would approve of
her calling him “girlfriend”; although he was not offended by the remark many
others were. When I heard her say this I
did not become offended or angry; I simply did not feel any particular
way. I just thought of it as the two
coworkers having an understanding as well as a strong friendship. My feelings towards discrimination and
prejudice/ stereotypes on people are pretty much neutral and always have
been. This may be because I haven’t had
to deal with these issues first hand I suppose.
•In what ways did
your observation experiences this week affect your perception of the effects of
discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people
My observation made me look at things from a perspective different
from my own. I was able to see how some
simple conversations may introduce microaggression to a certain extent. However for some reason I still feel that
discrimination and prejudice only go as far as those that allow it to influence
their hearts and minds.
You make a good point when you speak of looking at things from a different perspective. For example, I remember that when I lived in Santa Cruz, many of the homosexuals that I met preferred the term "Queer". I had always thought that "queer" was a derogatory term. Sometimes when we just be silent and pay attention before making judgments through our own lens, we can learn much. Thank you for an excellent point. May you always hold on to your kind spirit in this sometimes rough world.
ReplyDeleteI also agree, sometimes you need to step out of your shoes and look at things out of the perspectives of others. I did a lot of thinking about how I perceive certain things and how the community I live in perceives certain things this week. It can be extremely helpful to try to look at things through the perspective of others!
ReplyDelete