AU1.4 – Microaggressions

What is a Microaggression?

Micro aggression is a term used for brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioural or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative attitudes toward stigmatised or culturally marginalised groups.

Three forms of microaggression

Preventing Microaggressions

It is possible to prevent microaggressions:

• Microaggressions are everyday insults made by usually well-intentioned people.
• They affect people from any underrepresented groups.  
• They’re caused when your brain gets “stuck” on noticing someone’s differences. 
• You can learn how to retrain your brain and prevent yourself from committing microaggressions.
• Check your assumptions, show empathy and try not to get defensive if someone calls you out.

Negative Impacts

• Lack of Trust
• Poor working relationship
• Lack of respect or dignity
• Unexplained behaviour
• Service delivery
• Team dynamics
• Impact on bystanders
• Patient Outcomes
• No sense of belonging
• It’s not responsibility of the person on the receiving end to do all the education

Common Defences for being called out on a microaggression

People of all different identities can experience microaggressions. Though the term originally referenced white-on-black offenses (and that’s still important to note), anyone who is part of a minority group in some way can be affected.