Antiracist club for September... Microaggressions

 "That's so gay."

"You throw like a girl"

"You just need to try harder."

"What are you?"

Tru lead our monthly ANTI-Racism discussion last night. This time it centered on Micro-aggressions.  Most of us have experienced these.  And we need to get better at being sorry when we unintentionally say things that hurt other people.  We all need to try and do better.  Be more Christlike in our interactions.  I'm still so grateful that my kids in 4 different households come together with Wayne and I and have these type of focused discussions. 

Why the greeting card analogy? 🤔 Most of the time, these statements are made with good intentions/intended as compliments – but that’s what makes them microaggressions: comments that subtly (and often unconsciously) express a prejudiced attitude toward members of marginalized groups. In this case, we’re talking about black people:

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👸🏾 “You’re so pretty for a black girl!” Normally said when a black woman is actually *beautiful* even though she has darker skin! Implies that black women are inherently unattractive. Use instead: “You’re so pretty!” (The end!)

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🔘 “You’re the whitest black person I know!” Normally said when a black person’s personality traits go against the stereotypical norm. Implies that black people are one-dimensional. Use instead: “I love _________ about you!”

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💬 “You’re so articulate!” Normally said when a black person uses ‘proper’ grammar. Implies that black people are inherently inarticulate. Use instead: Nothing. 😂 Let’s just not!

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🌍 “No, where are you REALLY from?” Normally said when a person of color says that they’re American (but doesn’t appear to be at first glance). Implies “exotic” nature. Use instead: “Tell me more about yourself!” That way, they can choose whether or not to share.

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✋🏽 “Your name is too hard to pronounce so I made you a nickname!” Normally said when a black person has a name that goes against stereotypical norms. Implies that learning how to pronounce it is an inconvenience. Use instead: “Please, correct me if I’m mispronouncing it.”

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🤦🏾‍♀️ “Is that all your real hair?” Normally said when a black person has a hairstyle of any kind. Implies that we’re incapable of growing a lot of hair. Use instead: “I love your hair!”