What are Micro-Aggressions?
Micro-aggressions are brief, everyday interactions that send denigrating messages to people because they belong to minoritised groups (Rollock, 2019).
Compared to more overt forms of prejudice, micro-aggressions are subtle and insidious, often leaving the victim confused, distressed and frustrated and the perpetrator oblivious of the offence they have caused. We can see micro-aggressions as subtle forms of harassment. They are less obvious than overt prejudice. These more nuanced forms involve behaviours such as:
- Casual remarks.
- Exclusionary behaviours.
- Questions or comments that reveal assumptions based on stereotypes.
- Undermining in public.
- Marginalising or erasing identities.
- Denial of individual prejudice.
- Questioning lived experience.
