Chester Pierce, a Black Harvard professor coined the term “microaggressions” in the 1970s. It refers to comments or actions towards people from minority communities that subtly reflect negative stereotypes or display implicit discrimination. This isn’t just exclusive to acts of aggression or malice (although this is a part of it); more typically, microaggressions may be delivered in the form of ‘harmless’ jokes or intended to be a compliment, yet they contain an insult. Common examples regarding implicit racism: clutching your purse near a Black person, telling a POC their English is good when it’s their native language, and using phrases like “You’re pretty for a Black girl.” Additionally, Black people are often asked if others can touch their hair. All of these, even if unintentional, are microaggressions: they’re subtly dehumanizing or reinforce harmful stereotypes. Although some may think that this is just a case of people being “sensitive”, it’s important to recognise that microaggressions have a real impact on a person’s wellbeing. Research has shown that it can even impact a person’s performance as they experience low self-esteem from negative stereotypes. We should all question ourselves and others to help tackle this issue and overcome implicit biases.
Written by Shayma Ahmed
Artwork by Izzy Johns
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