“Tiny Acts of Aggression” – Microaggressions

Have you ever heard of the word “microaggression”?

Microaggressions are unintentional behaviors or comments based on prejudice or discrimination that occur in everyday interactions with people who have certain characteristics.

In this article, we will explain microaggressions through manga.

What’s a Microaggression?

Microaggression refers to unintentionally saying words that belittle or hurt someone with specific characteristics during everyday interactions.

As shown in the manga, even words spoken without intending discrimination, in an attempt to be kind or casual, might deeply wound the other person. This is what matters.

We all have unconscious biases.

Prejudices we hold about certain ages, gender identities, sexualities, disabilities, races, and more can unconsciously come out in our words and actions as microaggressions. That’s why it’s tough to realize the hurtful nature of what we say or do – this is one of the features of microaggressions.

So, even if the person who was hurt points out the problematic nature of those words, the speaker often ends up feeling unfairly blamed, saying, “I didn’t mean it that way,” which is a common reaction.

Now, how can we prevent microaggressions?

In Order Not to Commit Microaggressions

To prevent microaggressions, it’s important to first acknowledge the possibility of having unconscious biases within ourselves and gradually becoming aware of these biases.

For instance, have you ever linked someone’s actions to their characteristics, thinking, “People with this attribute tend to behave like this” when something caught your attention?

Minorities, in particular, tend to become targets of such biases.

This is because in current society, including the microaggressions mentioned in this article, minorities still often become subjects of discrimination and limitations in choices.

Certainly, being part of the same group can lead to sharing similar experiences and perspectives.

Specific races, genders, sexual orientations, etc., bring about common experiences and significantly influence one’s personality development.

Movements like the (Second Wave) Feminism, where women with similar experiences came together, are prime examples of this.

However, attributes like being “female,” “gay,” or “foreigner” are just among the many facets that constitute an individual. They can’t solely explain a person’s nature.

“Women are like this,” “Gay people are like that,” “Foreigners are like this.”

Such words ignore the diverse aspects that an individual possesses and impose biases.

If you can become aware of biases instilled unconsciously, you can decrease the chances of carelessly hurting someone with your words or actions.

Up until now, we’ve explored ways to prevent microaggressions. But if we realize we’ve committed a microaggression, what should we do?

When You’ve Committed a Microaggression

Everyone has the tendency to develop assumptions and biases towards others, often without even realizing it.

Even if you’ve become conscious of your biases and discrimination through learning, there’s still a possibility of uttering words or actions that unintentionally hurt someone in a fleeting moment.

If you’ve said something hurtful based on bias and later realized it, or if you’re pointed out by the person affected or others present, it’s best to follow the example of Ray from the manga. First, listen to the other person’s words and apologize.

Microaggressions are “small attacks,” which is why there’s often anxiety about being further criticized with phrases like “Is it really such a big deal?” when speaking out against them.

To prevent people who experience microaggressions from falling into self-blame by thinking “It might just be my imagination” or “I might be overreacting,” it’s crucial for the people around them and even the person who committed the microaggressions to understand the issue and admit their mistake.

However, adopting an attitude like “Apologizing is enough, so it’s fine even if I commit microaggressions” is problematic. Even if they are “small attacks,” they accumulate and can result in significant harm.

Those who are often targeted by everyday microaggressions are usually individuals from socially disadvantaged minority groups. It’s impossible for others to fully understand the attacks and pain these individuals have faced.

Even when apologized face-to-face, how that apology is received depends on the individual. We don’t know what kind of experiences they’ve had.

Genuine apologies can’t undo what’s already been said or done. That’s why it’s crucial to try your best not to utter hurtful words in the first place.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve explained about microaggressions.

Even if there’s no intention to discriminate, these “small attacks” based on biases can accumulate gradually, leading to significant stress and pushing the person being targeted into a corner.

As mentioned earlier, those who commit microaggressions usually aren’t aware of it.

If there’s a third party like Ray’s friend, Mami, who can point out later, “That might be a microaggression,” the individuals who have experienced microaggressions wouldn’t need to explain the “discriminatory nature of remarks directed at them”.

We hope this article will help spread understanding about microaggressions and that more people will become aware, saying, “That might be a microaggression.”

（Text: Saki Yoshimoto, Translation: Jennifer Martin)