Racial Microaggressions

“In recent times, discrimination has been reconceptualized to include the chronic stressors, or everyday experiences with discrimination, that take a significant toll on individuals’ physical and psychological health” (Araújo & Borrell, 2006).
Thus, it is becoming increasingly important to identify the particular stressors that negatively affect the daily lives of marginalized groups. “One of the ways that chronic stressors have been found to negatively impact people of color (i.e., Latina/os, Asian Americans, and Blacks) is through experiences with racial and ethnic microaggressions” (Nadal, 2011; Rivera, Forquer, & Rangel, 2010; Sue, Bucceri, Lin, Nadal, & Torino, 2007; Sue et al., 2008). Racial microaggressions are defined

While this body of research remains an area in need of further investigation, emerging research is documenting the detrimental impact of these acts on Latina/o Americans’ lives. For example, a recent qualitative study revealed seven unique themes representing the various ways that Latinas/os experience microaggression in their daily lives (Rivera et al., 2010). These themes included: Ascription of intelligence treated as intellectual inferiors. Second class citizen, receive subordinate treatment than their White counterparts. Pathologizing communication style/cultural values, norms or ways of speaking are inferior or bad, while learning that Western/ White American norms or ways of speaking are superior. Characteristics of speech, are invalidated because of their accents. Alien in own land, assumed to be foreign-born or “not American enough.” Criminality assumed to be deviant or prone to crime, and Invalidation, taught their perceptions of discrimination were unfounded or in which their racial/ethnic realities were