An example of a microaggression that I detected this week is
a gender microsaggression. I was at work and a teacher walked into the office.
We began to have a discussion about how there was trash around the dumpster
that needed to be picked up. We have been having trash issues with the cleaners
so I am usually the person to clean up the mess. The teacher suggested that we
ask our only male teacher that we have because “He is a male and it should be
his job to clean up the trash.” Of course, I would never have asked the only
male teacher to clean the trash just because he is a male so I did it myself. I realized
now looking back that I experienced a microsaggression. In that situation I
told the teacher who made the comment that there was no way that I would ever
do that.
This experience has led me to believe that microaggressions
happen more then I realize. Many are unintentional and not meant to hurt the
other person’s feelings but can easily if not well-thought-out. Discrimination,
prejudice, and stereotypes are very serious and need to be taken into
consideration as soon as possible. Within the work place it is very important
to try and eliminate any type of negative behavior /comments toward others.
I also feel that microaggression happens far more than I ever thought it did. I never realized how all these little comments could be so hurtful. If I am honest I probably would have thought the same as your co-worker however, I would have never asked the male worked. I would have cleaned the trash myself and hoped he would help.
ReplyDeleteOne my centers has one male working in the program. I truly hope he isn't asked to do those types of jobs, but I am not there all the time to ensure that he isn't. By that logic (that it is a man's job to clean up trash), then our field will always be female dominated, as it must be "women's work" to take care of the children. Grrr!
ReplyDeleteLea
I over see an ECE program that doesn't have any males working in our program. Whenever we have to put together new furniture or move boxes it never failes she always asks if we are going to ask a male from another department to help us. I always respond to her by the time we ask and wait around we could have it done already and that just because we are females doesn't mean we need males to help us with everything.
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