Common Micro aggressions: African Americans and/or Black People
Anonymous asked: What are some common micro-aggressions that a black american will regularly have to deal with?
Behold! This masterpost of common micro-aggressions towards African Americans and/or people in the African Diaspora.
Micro-aggressions are the โlittleโ incidents of racism that may not be so obviously racist, but come from a place of ignorance or stereotyped views
Micro-aggressions can be perpetuated by White people as well as fellow Black people and People of Color.
Several of these may be applicable to other People of Color.
We (Black mods writing this) live in different Westernized countries & have personally experienced every one of these or know someone who has.
For a fuller understanding of micro aggressions and the affects it has on individuals overtime, please see this: โThese incidents may appear smallโฆโ
Use of microaggressions in writing
This is just to give a thorough understanding of some of the things a Black person (often in America or other western countries) deals with.
Unless writing about racism, we would not recommend overpacking your Black character with every one of these experiences, or at least not within the narrative. ย
Sprinkling in a few here and there is acceptable and adds realism.
Do not forget to include reactions to these micro-aggressions and when they occur, show theyโre not okay somehow in the text.
The micro aggressions tag has plenty of applicable advice.
General Micro-aggressions
People excusing blackface.
Having our grammar and annunciation corrected.
โI donโt see you as a Black person/ I donโt see colour.โ
Calling Black people ghetto, thugs, rachet, sassy, urbanโฆ
People debating why they should be allowed to say the n-word.
Then saying the n-word anyway.
Whispering, spitting, or stumbling over the word โBlackโ as if itโs a curse.
Refusing to pronounce your name right, or just calling you by a different name thatโs easier.
Alternatively, โjokinglyโ calling you a โghettoโ name.
Constantly mixing up unrelated and not even resembling Black people, because you know.. โBlack people all look the same.โ
Dismissing our experiences as โjust overreacting,โ defending the wronging party, or using our plight to talk about oneโs own experience (e.g. โwell as a gay man iโve got it roughโฆโ).
Telling racist jokes and calling you sensitive when you donโt find it funny.
โ______ ย is the new civil rights movement!โ Black folks are still fighting for their rights, soโฆ
Caricatured depictions of Black people on TV.
Casting calls for Black people only tailored for โrace roles.โ
Media treating white criminals and killers better than Black victims (see these headlines).
Assuming you only listen to rap/hip-hop/r&b.
Assuming you love chicken, Kool-aid, and/or smoke weed.
Assuming youโre good at sports.
Assuming thereโs no father in the picture in Black families.
Assuming all Black people (see: young girls) have children.
Calling Black people who donโt conform to preconceived images of Blackness โless black,โ acting white or an โoreo.โ
Non-Black People mimicking/imitating AAVE.
People falling into AAVE when talking to Black People.
โWhy donโt Black people speak real English instead of โebonicsโ?โ
Insults/doubting intelligence:
Youโre so articulate!โ
โYou take advanced classes?!โ
โHow did she get into that [prestigious school and/or program]?โ
โThey only got x because theyโre Black/Affirmative action.โ
Assuming a Black person (usually male) attends college because of a sports scholarship.
Counselors discouraging Black students to take prestigious coursework, assuming itโs too difficult for them.
โYouโre a credit to your race.โ
โIโm glad youโre not like those other Black people. Youโre not ghetto or listen to that rap stuff..โ
Tone policing: dismissing someoneโs reaction/argument/etc. because they are too โemotional.โ Thinking that we need to be calm in order to be taken seriously.
Pitting African immigrants against African Americans, especially those coming to America for education, aka โGood Blacks.โ
Beauty Standards and Dating
โYouโre pretty for a Black girl.โ
โYouโre pretty! Are you mixed?โ
โI donโt usually date/arenโt attracted to Black people.โ
Calling attraction to Black people โjungle fever.โ
People asking you what you are or where youโre really from.
Referring to Black people or our features as โexotic.โ
Referring to Black peopleโs skin as chocolate or other foods.
Assuming dark skin doesnโt need sunscreen. Like other humans, we do!
Saying Black women are โstrong, independent and donโt need no man.โ
Calling Black women โsassyโ or angry if she shows passion/emotion.
Overreactions/exaggerating our actions. This often involves assigning aggression where there is none. (Black person speaking firmly is yelling. A Black woman disagrees with someone: โwhy are you attacking me?โ) ย
Referring to white and non-black women as โgirlsโ and โwomenโ while calling Black women โFemales.โ
Men who apply courtesy to white women (holding doors, giving up seat) but donโt apply the same to Black women.
Referring to Black women on government assistance as โwelfare queensโ (While ignoring that white people, white women especially, get more government assistance than Black people in the USA).
โBlack women All woman are beautiful.โ (Stop. That. Please.)
People touching/petting your hair without consent.
โSo is that your real hair? Are those extensions?โ
Calling natural black hair unprofessional.
White people appropriating Black hair styles (dreads, twists, etc) and being praised as edgy, while itโs โghetto, unprofessional, and uncleanโ on our own heads.
โDo you live in the ghetto?โ
โCan you afford that?โ
โHere are the value prices of this productโฆโ
Racial Profiling + Criminalization:
Crossing the street to avoid passing Black men/people.
Following in stores, assuming Black people are stealing.
Moving aside when we pass, clutching purse, locking doors.
Asking Black people for I.D. when paying with card (while white people are not asked).
Being pulled over + arrested at astonishingly higher rates than white people.
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