Oh, I thought it was a list of college rankings, and I was going to find that mine wasn’t even fourth tier. Well then. A lot of donors from major financial institutions there. They must be supporting the little people, who just don’t get a fair shot in this land of shrinking opportunity. Because we know it’s wrong to say that America is the land of opportunity…
I just read the source document and my initial reaction was surprise that UC faculty would need to be taught that those phrases and reactions might be inappropriate. It seems like junior-high level material.
I had to laugh at the comment on the PDF that ‘clutching your purse or wallet’ when you see a black or Latino person approaching is a microaggression.
The Rick Steves programs and guidebooks for travelling in Spain all say ‘watch out for pickpockets, particularly when you see groups of gypsies’, or words to that effect. Rick Steves is about as liberal as they come. But if gypsies are the the most common pickpockets in Europe, then it’s just factual to warn of it.
You’ll notice Rick Steves doesn’t say “gypsies”, but rather “groups of gypsies”. That’s because pickpockets who are gypsies commonly work in groups. I’ve seen them work, they’re pretty methodical and efficient with their stealing. In England, Rick Steves warns against French girls, since they commonly work as pickpockets, particularly in London. As TatinG says, this isn’t some kind of broad brush warning against an entire group of ethnic people, but is in fact a reporting of the truth.
I wouldn’t draw the distinction so finely. He also says that ‘gypsy women’ will try to give you sprigs of rosemary so they can then demand payment and harass you. Nothing to do with ‘groups’.
Is warning your daughter to stay away from fraternity parties a microaggression againt fraternity men or common sense? What about staying out of certain high crime neighborhoods?
I am very uncomfortable with any calls for limiting speech by a public university either by fiat, by peer pressure, by threats of losing one’s job or any other sanction. It’s just Orwellian. Better to know what people really think even if it makes you angry.
What a crock of SH## !! (I will stick with MACROaggression, rather than micro) I have carefully edited my comments to remove any potentially offensive microaggressions, and here is what I have left: “Blah de blah, blah blah blah, blee blah de blah” Good to know that showing an interest in another person, displaying curiousity about their ethnic heritage or origin is offensive.
It’s funny, at my college’s orientation this past week, they addressed the ‘where are you really from?’ question as a part of the ‘think about what you’re saying’ topic. They showed this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWynJkN5HbQ
You can choose how silly you want interpret the concept of microagressions. Go ahead. Don’t tell your daughter to take caution. Frolic in the alleyways at night.
@undeuxtroiscat Ha! Ello, govna!
I read through the microaggressive statements and I thought they did an excellent job of identifying the subtext of many of the statements. I was, however, disappointed that they didn’t include my current bugaboo: “you look great–how much weight have you lost?” which I personally hear as “you used to be so fat and ugly.”
I’ve taken to calling people out and saying “why didn’t you just stop at ‘you look great’?” I usually get some stuttering in reply: “I thought it was a compliment.” “Why?” “Well, you look better now.” “Got it. I guess I should say thank you, but really, I don’t feel grateful that you told me that I used to look unattractive.”
Dead silence ensues.
@dmd77 Ouch. 
I’ve also heard that type of statement regarding makeup. Verbatim: “If you did that all the time, you’d have boys all over you!” Uh…thanks?
Post #28, I was asked the same question, but I didn’t take it as a micro aggressive statement. Why can’t we just take a compliment as a compliment. I don’t feel that as a statement that I used to look unattractive. I’m attractive whether I’m a size 22 or size 2.
I worry when we get to nano aggression. I think by then everybody has to be sedated by more drugs otherwise every tiny little things people say drive us bonkers.
DrGoogle: I’m so glad you’re capable of taking that question as a compliment. I am not capable of doing so. It must be much easier to be you than to be me.
@DrGoogle
Here is my attempt at Nanoagression…Hi, how are you today? (Now you find the offensive part:)!!
Some people like being complimented when they lose weight. I don’t get “you were fat and ugly” from, “you look great have you lost weight”…to me, that is looking for offense. I don’t like to make people feel bad simply for trying to pay me a compliment.
Post #31, here is the real aggression. My sister told me I’m fat to my face more than once, but she is no thinner.
<<<
For what it’s worth, I don’t think those phrases are microaggressions. I think calling America the land of the free/opportunity is a load of crock but not a microaggression.
[QUOTE=""]
[/QUOTE]
Certainly not everyone succeeds, and not everyone can, but is there another country that is “more free” that also has “more opportunity”?
Having grown up in California where we had many Vietnamese immigrants who arrived with essentially the clothes on their backs, I have witnessed these folks grab the opportunities here and succeed. The US must have seemed very scary to them when they arrived; the language completely foreign…and yet so many availed themselves of the opportunities. My son’s GF’s parent each came over here as children. The dad was put on a boat ALONE with strangers, as an 8 year old, to escape Vietnam. He’s now an Electrical Engineer via GT, owns his home free and clear, and has over $1M in savings. He was able to bring over the rest of his family, by sponsoring them. He is beyond grateful to the US.
Should he not be?
Where else would he have had a better opportunity?
HRSMom and DrGoogle, please allow me to try again. I do like being complimented. A compliment is “you look great.” A compliment is “wow, that shirt is so flattering.” “You look attractive now that you’re thin” is not a compliment. It’s a slam about weight disguised as a compliment. The subtext of “you’ve lost so much weight” is “you used to be fat.”
I have a few friends who’ve lost weight over health issues–chemo, digestive tract problems, surgery–and “you look great, you’re so thin!” really comes across badly in those circumstances.
If you’re going to compliment someone on their appearance, stop after the compliment and don’t explain why you’re complimenting them. Examples: “that color looks great on you” is superior to “that color looks great on you, I didn’t like that yellow shirt you wore yesterday.” “You look great!” is better than “you look great, how much weight have you lost?” “You look so fit!” beats “You look so fit, have you finally started working out?”
And finally, never tell someone “you look tired!” unless you want to watch their shoulders sag.
I would never ask someone how much weight they lost. That is rude.
However, when someone is “dressed up” and you say that they “look great,” I don’t think that means that they awful other days.
As for wearing make-up…I know I look better with make-up. In my profile pic I’m not wearing make-up, and I know that I look kind of monochromatic (my lips have no natural color and neither do my cheeks). I know that. So, if on a day with some lip gloss and a touch of blush someone says, “you look nice,” I would know what they meant…lol…and I wouldn’t be insulted.
Times do change. I remember a time when women were insulted if someone suggested or implied that they dyed their hair. Now, that nearly every woman over 30 dyes her hair and many also highlight, commenting on a new hair color becomes a topic of a pleasant conversation.
I think being called “Ma’am” is a microaggression implying a certain age.
^^^
What age is that? The age of majority? older?
Post #37, I don’t like to be called Ma’am either but it was explained to me that it was considered polite in some part of the country.