Microaggressions are brief and commonplace daily verbal, nonverbal, or environmental insults, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages toward stigmatized groups. These include race, ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, appearance, mental health status, socioeconomic class, etc. When they occur repeatedly, microaggressions accumulate to create stress, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and trauma. They can have profound effects on academic achievement, emotional well-being, and long-term success. Mitigating these harms requires institutional policies such as training, hiring, curriculum integration, accountability systems, restorative practices, and community building. This article will examine how microaggressions affect self-esteem, discuss examples, and explore policy options to mitigate them.
How Microaggressions Accumulate
Repeated exposure to microaggressions has cumulative effects on self-esteem. Studies show that students of color experience higher rates of burnout, lower grade point averages, less engagement in school activities, decreased retention, and reduced feelings of belongingness due to their experiences with racial microaggressions at college (Hu & Lin, 2017). Girls report that microaggressions increase self-doubt, reduce motivation, and cause anxiety (Yeh et al., 2021). LGBTQ+ students often encounter microaggressions related to sexual orientation and identity, such as "That's so gay," which can lead to internalized homophobia and shame (Sinclair, 2018).
Examples of Microaggressions
Microaggressions are subtle and commonplace, so it is essential to recognize and name them explicitly. Here are some examples:
- Asking a student about where they are from when they do not speak English as their first language or have an accent
- Making assumptions about gender roles based on appearance or mannerisms
- Telling a person of color they "speak well for someone who looks like you"
- Commenting on a person's weight or physical appearance
- Assuming a woman cannot be smart because she is pretty or vice versa
- Assigning stereotypical traits to people based on their race, religion, or disability status
- Discounting the lived experiences of marginalized groups
Mitigating Harms Through Institutional Policies
Institutional policies can help mitigate the harms of microaggressions by creating a safe, inclusive environment in educational settings. Training programs should provide faculty with tools to identify and address microaggressions, including recognizing their own biases and privilege. Hiring practices should prioritize diverse candidates and promote equitable pay and benefits for all employees. Curriculum integration includes topics that reflect diversity and inclusion, such as Black history or LGBTQ+ studies. Accountability systems should hold individuals accountable for perpetuating harmful behaviors, while restorative practices allow for repair and healing after microaggressions occur (Bradley & Gunn, 2019). Community building activities can create spaces for dialogue, connection, and support among students of different backgrounds.
How do microaggressions in educational settings accumulate to affect self-esteem, and what institutional policies can effectively mitigate these harms?
Microaggression refers to the subtle and unintentional discrimination or prejudice directed towards individuals from marginalized groups based on their identity markers such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability status, etc. These incidents are usually common in educational environments where students feel unsafe, unwelcome, alienated, and excluded due to biased behaviors of others.