LEADERSHIP
Microaggression Versus Dog Whistle
How to identify and address hurtful speech at work
BY Vida Thomas
SHUTTERSTOCK ILLUSTRATION
The term microaggressions comes up frequently for lawyers investigating discrimination and harassment complaints . This has been the case especially since the racial reckoning and racial justice movement sparked by the murder of George Floyd in 2020 . Because many of these race-based harassment complaints , which create hostile work environments , include allegations of microaggressions , employers must understand what microaggressions are and how they differ from — but can be just as harmful as — intentional misconduct motivated by an employee ’ s identity or status .
Microaggressions : unintended but painful
Most commonly , a microaggression involves unintentional conduct that is an external expression of an internal bias . Although microaggressions often involve indignities that can seem minor , they target people based on their marginalized-group membership . Whether couched as a compliment ( such as telling a Black person “ You ’ re so articulate !” or telling a transgender individual “ You don ’ t look transgender ”) or as simple curiosity ( such as asking an Asian American person “ Where are you from ?”), these comments and behaviors tend to “ otherize ” the person targeted .
Over time , these “ minor ” slights have a painful cumulative effect . They put the target in an untenable position : either point out the behavior and risk being labeled “ hypersensitive ,” or ignore the behavior , making it more likely that it will occur again .
Dog whistles : verbal camouflage
Dog whistles , by contrast , are intentional . The speaker intends to convey a racist , sexist or otherwise discriminatory message , but does so by couching the message in innocuous
26 comstocksmag . com | November 2021