Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions Now that I have read on what are microaggressions I find myself listening out for them and making myself aware of the things I say. This week at work I experience a microaggression. One of my co-workers was talking to a volunteer who is Indian. The co-worker was talking to her and made mentioned that she spoke good English for not being raised here in the United States. The volunteer told my co-worker that she studied English from home and studied in the States. My coworker remarked how impressive that was and how proud her family must be. As I listened to the conversation I immediately thought of Dr. Sue and his experience and feelings when someone had approached him in a similar manner. I see the volunteer become offensive and her answers were short and to the point. My observation of the situation was that my co-worker did mean to offend her and thought she was giving her a compliment. I looked at the matter in a different light now that I know and understand what microaggressions are and how the comments we think are innocent but in the end are hurtful and discriminatory.