There are some things that I write in this space out of curiosity or because I want to increase science literacy. Other things are written to stimulate thought and conversation on topics that may be out of comfort zones. I can write a piece on the latest viral broom craze or “top 20” weather myths and garner significant readership numbers. However, a recent article on race and weather barely registered any readership. It doesn’t matter because that article and this one are important so I will keep writing them from time to time. Recently, I saw a graphic on microagressions making the rounds on social media. It caused me to reflect on ones that I have experienced as an African American scientist and professor. In my continuing series in honor of Black History Month, I explain racial microagressions and how they appear in various interactions with colleagues in science, business, or other professional settings.
NEW HAVEN, CT - APRIL 01: Bryant Williams, Jovan Washington, Cecil Boyce and Louis Estrada play ... [+]
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a microagression as “a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group (such as a racial minority).” At this point, some of you may be “eye-rolling” or have stopped reading but hear me out on this one. The intent here is not to point fingers, play any “cards,” or wallow in “woe is me.” I am trying to move the needle forward on compassion, understanding and civility. The use of microagressions doesn’t mean any of us are necessarily bad people. Lack of awareness of the practice or the position from which the micro aggressions are being used is the more likely scenario.
One of the most important scholarly papers on the topic of microagressions is “Racial microaggressions in everyday life: implications for clinical practice,” published in 2007. The authors of this study in the journal American Psychologist noted that “Perpetrators of microaggressions are often unaware that they engage in such communications when they interact with racial/ethnic minorities.” Historically, definitions of microaggressions have been anchored in race, but I often see them with gender, disabilities, and other attributes.
A colleague shared a list of racial microaggressions posted on a University of Minnesota website. I will not discuss all of them herein, but it is worth clicking on this link to see the full list. I walk through some of the most common ones that I have experienced in my professional career as a scientist at NASA, President of the American Meteorological Society, and within the academic community.
Ascription of Intelligence. There is absolutely nothing wrong with complimenting a person for their intelligence, but a statement like “You are a credit to your race” is out of bounds. One that I also receive (and many of my friends too) is “You are so articulate.” I have a graduate education, appear often on television, and teach students so this should not be too surprising. Though harmless or even well-meaning on the surface, there are underlying assumptions in such statements that certain races are not suppose to be intelligent or articulate. My colleagues of Asian descent often share with me that they deal with the opposite side of this microaggression, particularly as related to science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM). A 2007 study by the same authors as the aforementioned paper addresses that topic and is found at this link.
Color Blindness. People often say that “I don’t see you as Black” or “I don’t see color.” It is interesting because I am certain that in the mind of the person, they feel this is positive or compassionate. However, this statement denies a person’s cultural or racial experience. According to the University of Minnesota scholars, it may also imply that the person wants other people to assimilate to a certain predominant culture or worldview. We should all be proud of our culture, and others should not be threatened when people uplift it.
Myth of meritocracy. Statements like the “most qualified person should always get the job” or “those that work hard win in the end” are fair statements. I think they are also ones that any reasonable person would agree with, in theory. Many STEM fields have extremely low numbers of women and minorities because of historical reasons so there are certainly actions in place to level the playing field. Ironically, numbers are still drastically low. However, there are assertions implied in previous statements that people of color always have an advantage, do not belong, or took someone else’s job. This is one that many of us face. Though I will put my record up against anyone, there is undoubtedly innuendo that I have achieved certain things because of my race. Heck, I don’t even need innuendo, one of my former students told me that a former researcher at his undergraduate university told him that directly. Oh, if you need more evidence, read the article I wrote about the scientists (some of whom I know) that were on an email thread marginalizing my climate science knowledge because I was “a Black (actual words).” I discovered the thread when one of them sent me an email chastising me on climate science, but he didn’t realize that he forwarded the entire list serve thread (Doh, in my Homer Simpson voice).
Second-class citizen. I actually don’t really like this wording used in the study because it also implies some level of classism. Many people in my family work in the service industry. I worked for a few years at Hardees and a clothing store. There is nothing “second-class” about anyone doing these valuable jobs, but I will use it for now since that is what is noted in the study. The point being made in the study is that many scientists of certain races are assumed to be in the service industry within certain environments. A few years ago at a major science conference in Washington, I was asked at least four times if I was a worker at the hotel. Each time, I answered, “No, I am one of the invited speakers.” I finally asked one of the hotel staff wearing a red blazer to take a picture with me and tweeted it.” The larger message is that because I was wearing a suit it was assumed that I work at the hotel rather than being an attendee at the high-level science meeting. In another example, I was standing in a hotel lobby with other colleagues wearing suits. I was President of the American Meteorological Society at the time. A women walked up to me and asked if I was the airport shuttle driver. She only asked me.
This article was written in the spirit of progress and to stimulate discussion in your offices and homes on how we interact with people irrespective of gender, race, religion, disability, and other attributes. I also hope you get a chance to read the full list of microaggressions at the previous link. In anticipation of certain responses, I am sure that some of you feel that you also experience microaggressions even if you are not from a marginalized group. I hear you, but the focus here is on a systemic problem rooted in privilege and historical inertia rather than isolated examples.
