MicroAggressions, Implicit Bias Intersectionality, and Allyship/Advocacy

1. MicroAggressions, Implicit Bias Intersectionality, and Allyship/Advocacy Dr. Mariam Konaté, Associate Professor, Gender and Women’s Studies Dr. Tangela Roberts,Assistant Professor, Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Prof. Jan Gabel-Goes, Director, Office of Faculty Development and Master Faculty Specialist, Department of Business Information Systems

2. Outcomes • Identify how implicit bias and microaggressions occur in academic contexts • Develop a foundational understanding of intersectionality • Gain allyship and advocacy techniques

3. "Overcoming Implicit Biases and Microaggressions in Departmental and Pedagogical Settings”

4. Characteristics of Implicit Biases • “Implicit biases are pervasive.  Everyone possesses them, even people with avowed commitments to impartiality such as judges. • Implicit and explicit biases are related but distinct mental constructs.  They are not mutually exclusive and may even reinforce each other. • The implicit associations we hold do not necessarily align with our declared beliefs or even reflect stances we would explicitly endorse. • We generally tend to hold implicit biases that favorour own in-group, though research has shown that we can still hold implicit biases against our in-group. Social messages are hard to escape, even for people of color. • Implicit biases are malleable. Our brains are incredibly complex, and the implicit associations that we have formed can be gradually unlearned through a variety of debiasing techniques.” (Institute Bias Review, 2015,p.1)

5. What is micro-aggression? • “First coined by Chester Pierce, a psychiatrist in the 1970s. • The same concept has been also used in the works of Dr. Jack Dovidio from Yale University and Dr. Samuel Gaertner, from the University of Delaware. • Racial microaggressions are most similar to aversive racism in that they generally occur below the level of awareness of well-intentioned people (Sue, Capodilupo, et al., 2007; Sue & Capodilupo, 2008),BUT • researchers of micro-aggressions focus primarily on describing the dynamic interplay between perpetrator and recipient, classifying everyday manifestations. deconstructing hidden messages, and exploring internal (psychological) and external (disparities in education, employment, and health care) consequences. “(Sue, 2010, p.9)

6. Different Types of Microaggressions • In a 2007 article published in the American Psychologist,Derald Wing Sue describes three types of racial microaggressions: • Microinvalidations: Communications that subtly exclude negate or nullify the thoughts, feelings or experiential reality of a person of color. • Ex. For instance, White people often ask Latinos where they were born, conveying the message that they are perpetual foreigners in their own land. • Microassaults: Conscious and intentional discriminatory actions. • Ex. using racial epithets, displaying White supremacist symbols - swastikas, or preventing one's son or daughter from dating outside of their race. •  Microinsults: Verbal, nonverbal, and environmental communications that subtly convey rudeness and insensitivity that demean a person's racial heritage or identity. • Ex: an employee who asks a co-worker of color how he/she got his/her job, implying he/she may have landed it through an affirmative action or quota system.

7. What is racial microaggression? • “Microaggressions are the brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavior and environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial, gender, sexual-orientation, and religious slights and insults to the target person or group. Perpetrators are usually unaware that they have engaged in an exchange that demeans the recipient of the communication.” (Sue, 2010,p.5) • Students of color often describe microaggressions as a pattern of being overlooked, under-respected, and devalued because of their race. • When microaggressions occur, they often present a highly charged racial situation that challenges both teacher and students. • A lot of microaggressions are delivered by well-intended professors. (Sue, 2016)

8. Examples of commonplace microaggressions • Making assumptions about the religions of Middle Eastern faculty/coworkers in casual conversation • Speaking condescendingly to faculty specialists and/or PTIs in your department • Asking women/women of color about their grooming habits • Giving business cards for a male masseuse to single women in the department • Asking women or racial minorities about personal finances or purchases and making specific judgements based on these • Repeatedly calling transgender faculty by their birth-assigned name prior to the transition • Touching a Black woman’s hair!! Just. Don’t. do. It. • Commenting on the “nice accent” of a colleague

9. Who experiences microaggression? Any marginalized group can be subjected to microaggressions! Can include racial, gender, sexuality, disability micro-aggressions. etc.

10. “Understanding Intersectionality in Departmental and Pedagogical Settings”

11. Intersectionality Intersectionality is the concept that reinforces the understanding of people's experiences being shaped by their race, gender, sexuality, and class. It looks at these identities as interconnected and necessitates a view of people in context of their whole and intersecting identities, not simply looking at people as encompassing a singular identity. Intersectionality is also the understanding that race, gender, class and sexuality mutually impact one's experience of discrimination and oppression (Crenshaw, 1989).

12. What is intersectionality theory?

13. What isn’t intersectionality?

14. What does intersectionality REALLY look like?

16. Departmental Examples of Intersectionality Case Study: Treese McCoy, an African-American woman who has locs, was once told in a performance review that she needed to “appear more professional”. When asked for clarification about this, comments were made about her hair not being perceived as professional enough. So she cuts her hair to fit her department’s idea of a professional woman. This department is portraying the idea that professional is based on the image of White women in the office. US Supreme Court Case, 2017

17. Pedagogical Examples of Intersectionality While teaching a course on LGBTQ+ psychology, a white gay male student commented that he “wasn’t sure if he would learn anything from the course because he’s already gay”. This erases the importance of learning about the unique lived experiences of Black and Brown LGBTQ+ individuals. Beliefs that “all the gay people are white, and all the Black people are straight”

18. Impact of Intersectional Oppressions 2-3x increased risk of high levels of psychological distress – including depression and lower self esteem (Meyer, 1995; Bailey 2011). Feeling excluded from communities (Balsam, 2011). What could this look like in a University community?

19. Utilizing Intersectionality Theory in the Workplace Does my (classroom or departmental policy) recognize multiple intersecting identities and oppressive systems? What additions or deletions might be required to better address intersectional inequities? Use intersectional examples in classroom settings (ex. A queer Latina as a case study or a using statistics to figure out the number of Black women teachers at an elementary school) Most importantly….. Look at your current faculty and staff. Think about how your current or past hiring practices may have unintentionally looked over people with multiple minority statuses. Think about ways that you can promote equity and work towards dismantling oppressive systems NOW, not later.

20. Responding to Microaggressions withMicroresistanceandAlly Development Always teaching. Always learning.

21. What are Microresistances? Always teaching. Always learning. • “incremental daily efforts to challenge white privilege and the gender status quo” that help targeted people “cope with microaggressions.”(Irey, 2013) • Microresistances are small-scale individual and/or collaborative efforts that empower targeted people and allies to cope with, respond to, and/or challenge microaggressions with a goal of ultimately dismantling systems of oppression (Irey, 2013; Souza, Ganote, &Cheung, 2017)

22. What is an Ally? Always teaching. Always learning. • Allies commit themselves to ending systemic oppression, follow the lead of targets, and act accordingly (Demnowicz, 2017).

23. What is Microaffirmations? Always teaching. Always learning. • “Microaffirmations are tiny acts of opening doors to opportunity, gestures of inclusion and caring, and graceful acts of listening” (Scully& Rowe, 2009).

24. Tools to Develop Always teaching. Always learning. • Once Microaggressions are heard and/or seen, what can one do? Practice appropriate responses • Develop Microresistance Tools to use anywhere (speak up) • Practice Communication Techniques such as • Open The Front Door (OTFD) • Speak up by using XYZ • Develop an A.C.T.I.O.N Plan

25. Always teaching. Always learning. Open The Front Door to Communication • 1. OTFD: to make transparent the nature and effects of microaggressions: adapted from Learning Forum • Observe: Concrete, factual, and observable (not evaluative) • Think: Thoughts based on observations (yours and/or theirs) • Feel: Emotions – “I feel (emotion).” • Desire: Specific request or inquiries about desired outcome

26. Always teaching. Always learning. 2. Speak up by using XYZ • XYZ is a relatively simple intervention: • I feel X when Y because Z • Examples • I feel uncomfortable when I hear comments about Claude, because he is not here to defend himself. • I feel I don’t belong when you ask me where I’m from (if look different)

27. 3. A.C.T.I.O.N Plan Takes the Most Time Always teaching. Always learning. • Ask clarifying questions to assist with understanding intentions • Carefully listen to their response • Tell others what you observed as problematic in a factual manner • Impact exploration: ask for, or state, the potential impact of such a statement or action on others • Own your own thoughts and feelings around the impact • Next steps: Request appropriate action be taken

28. What can targeted people do in the face of potential microaggressions? Always teaching. Always learning. • Remind yourself about what you value • Practice self-care • Thinking about the ‘bigger fish you have to fry’ by putting this interaction into the broader context of your life goals • Practicing gratitude

29. What can allies do to help colleagues facing microaggressions? Always teaching. Always learning. • Become more informed and empathetic • Talk with and develop authentic relationships with your colleagues • Raise your awareness of macro- and microaggressions • Do your own work

30. What can Administration allies do to help colleagues facing microaggressions? Always teaching. Always learning. • Be open to mentoring your colleagues in your areas of strength • Advocate for them behind closed doors • Provide a safe space for them to discuss their experiences • Provide them with honest and direct feedback on teaching, scholarship, and service • Give authentic Microaffirmations • Practice generosity

31. Four Steps toward Creating Positive and Inclusive Class Climate Always teaching. Always learning. Establish community norms (ground rules) Use students’ preferred names and personal pronouns Collect student feedback about what helps them learn Create a diversity statement and feature it prominently in your syllabus Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Washington, uw.edu/teaching

32. Thank you! Always teaching. Always learning. • This good work takes soul searching, practice and care to be done well!

33. Thank you! Always teaching. Always learning. Questions? Write question on card and identify if you would like it answered by a particular panelist

34. References • DeAngelis, T. (2009). Unmasking “racial micro aggressions.” Monitor on Psychology. 40(2), 42-57. • Mayes, T. (2016, July 20). Recognizing and addressing microaggressions. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoWU9fG-Rt0. • Russell, P. (2016, February 26). Implicit bias and microaggressions: Recognizing and rectifying. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzHPbGotMQM. • Irey, S. (2013). How Asian American Women Perceive and Move toward Leadership Roles in Community Colleges: A Study of Insider Counter Narratives, Unpublished doctoral disseration, University of Washington. • Scully, M., & Rowe, M. (2009). Bystander training within organizations, Journal of the International Ombudsman Association, 2, 89-95. • Sue, D.W. et al. (2007). Microaggressions in everyday life: Implications for clinical practice. The American Psychologist, 2(4). • Sue, D.W. (2010). Microaggressions in everyday life: A new view on racism, sexism, and heterosexism. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. • “Understanding Implicit Bias” (2015). The Ohio State University Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity Implicit Bias Review.

35. References • Coaston, J. (2019, May 28). The intersectionality wars. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/5/20/18542843/intersectionality-conservatism-law-race-gender-discrimination • Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory, and Antiracist Politics [1989]. University of Chicago Legal Forum,1989(1), 8th ser., 139-167. doi:10.4324/9780429500480-5 • Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Catastrophe Management Solutions (United States Court of Appeals, 9th circut September 15, 2017).

36. Acknowledgements • With thanks to Dr. Tasha Souza, Boise State University, Dr. Cynthia Ganote, Saint Mary’s College of CA, Dr. Floyd Cheung, Smith College and their workshop at POD 2018: Practicing Microresistance for Personal Survival, Ally Support, and Institutional Change