The Big Impact of Microaggressions
On the evening of Feb. 6, Viterbo students and staff, as well as La Crosse community members, gathered in the nursing building auditorium for the latest installment of the Identities Project, a panel on microaggressions. The panel consisted of English faculty member and Lumen advisor Dr. Jacqueline Herbers, Dr. Suthakaran Veerasamy from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s psychology department, Heather Butterfield, director of Human Resources at Viterbo, and Emma Prescott, a senior art major.
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines the term “microaggression” as “A comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude…” All members of the panel, several of whom represented racial minorities, shared personal and academic insight on the issue.
Dr. Herbers discussed how the concept of political correctness ties into avoiding unintentional microaggressions. It boils down to her statement, “Call (people) what they want to be called.” She acknowledged that research shows that the majority of people commit microaggressions unintentionally, but also that another person’s interpretation of a statement trumps original intent. This went hand in hand with the Human Resource director’s idea that when a person or group feels undervalued, it can damage their self-esteem.
Ms. Butterfield made an analogy that illustrated the effects of microaggressions over time. She related one incident of a microaggression to a single mosquito bite: annoying. Many mosquito bites, however, are much harder to address, causing a reaction and building up a long-standing challenge. She encouraged listeners to have honest conversations with friends and address hurtful comments. In short, empathy and communication are key.
Dr. Veerasamy spoke about the three types of microaggressions—microinsult, microinvalidation, and microassault. He encouraged attendees to take a step back and examine how power dynamics are reflected in their individual lives. His overarching message was that cooperation can help people from all walks of life understand how to stop microaggressions by avoiding pitfalls based on factors such as sex and race.
Emma gave down-to-earth stories of times she experienced microaggression as an American born in China. Most poignant for her was the constant question, “Where are you from?” the face of stereotyping she has experienced throughout her life.
In the end, Student Life Director Kirsten Gabriel wrapped up the panel with a message of “calling in” rather than “calling out,” encouraging attendees to ask honest questions to those who commit microaggressions, providing a plane for forgiveness and promoting unity.