I guess as an adult I have learned to ignore what some people say, that doesn't define who I am. Or either I have been conditioned when growing up, that the society that we have to live in is different for people of color. There is a certain way that we need to act/ carry ourselfs when out in public, so that I/we do not seem aggressive. Dr. Sue also mentions that the social psychological factors associated with microaggressions. Two of these factors are; individual, institutional, and societal racism, inherited racial biases (stereotypes), (Laureate Education (producer). (2011).
Today I went to get my hair done, today was my self-care day. The salon that I went to the clients that are usually in there are white. The older white woman (stylist) she washed, blow dryed, pressed and cut my ends. I observed many of the regular clients were older white woman. They just starred at me like "what was I doing there"? As my styliest continued to work on my hair, there were plenty comments made of how "Beautiful my hair is", and how "thick my hair is". I replied with thank you, as the day went on I could only wonder if the ladies were generally giving me a complement or if there were a hidden aggenda. This reminds me of the microaggression are communicated intentionally or unintentionally (Laureate Education (producer).(2011).
Reference
Laureate Education (producer).(2011). Microaggression in everyday life. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Hello Takeisha,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing. It is interesting that the people commented on your hair. I know may are curious about black hair.When I was younger I remember a girl saying my hair was like a Brillo pad. I remember begging my mom for a relaxer so my hair could be straight. These kind of remarks affect people and make them want to change who they are so that they can fit in and feel normal. I remember my mother saying "If you can't say something nice then don't say anything at all." That would go well in today's society.Cynthia
Hello Takeshia,
ReplyDeleteI can relate to your experience of the women in the hair salon staring at you as if you were out of place and did not belong. When I was growing up in Massachusetts, I felt people staring at me in the grocery store, at the mall, or many other places of business in the community since I was usually only 1 of a few persons with a darker skin tone than a white person. This form of microaggression was so negatively implanted in my mind that I could not wait to move out of the area and into the Washington, DC area so I would no longer be a minority in the community. However, I faced other forms of microaggressions than being stared at such as unintentional comments regarding my race (Laureate Education (Producer), 2011).
Thanks for sharing,
-Juanita
Reference
Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Microaggressions in everyday life [Video file]. https://class.waldenu.edu
Hi Takeisha, thank you so much for sharing.I agree with what you're point of black people having to act a certain way to not get labled as aggressive. I've heard many of my black female co-workers say how they have to watch their tone with white co-workers because they don't want to get labled as "the angry black woman." I also feel your strife of being the obly black woman getting her hair done at the salon. It's difficult finding a place with people with experienced with black texture hair and then on top of it being judged by other clients and people getting their hair done makes it more difficult for black ladies to find a place to securely get their hair done.
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