Is the Weight of Micro-Aggressions Real or Perceived?

     Micro-aggressions have macro effects. Whether their manifestations are unintentional or deliberate, micro-aggressions insinuate hurtful, shallow, and often erroneous generalizations about race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc... The prevalence of micro-aggressions in both the public and private sphere is extremely destructive. Micro-aggressions are often subtle actions and comments that suggest sweeping racist, classist, and sexist sentiments; they have the power to completely shatter one's identity.  The weight of is real. As many GO Getters proclaimed, "It's impossible not to read too much into micro-aggressions." They are everywhere, and they have palpable consequences.
     In the spring of this year I read a story called "Maggie A Girl of the Streets" by Stephen Crane. Crane is a naturalist–he writes about humans as the products of an omnipotent society. Naturalist writers propound that human thought and behavior is influenced solely by the mores of society. While this 19th century artistic and literary phenomenon is no longer accepted, some of its facets reign true. Unfortunately, we exist in a society where micro-aggressions and micro-invalidations are part of daily discourse. Whether or not we intend to commit them, we often do.
     When we perpetrate micro-aggressions, we must own it. When we witness micro-aggressions, we must aim to rectify the situation. Awareness is key. The weight of micro-aggressions grows more real as we grow more aware of the frequency and implications of these infractions. This awareness is two-fold: we must be conscious of even the most subtle micro-aggressions as we see them occur in our daily lives, and we must be mindful of our role in mitigating their harsh effects.
     Micro-aggressions, even in their rawest and mildest form, are emotionally damaging. A micro-aggression reveals negative sentiment toward a component of one's identity.  The wannabe-psychologist in me can only assume that the use of daft actions and comments to tamper with one's identity warrants sensitivity and anguish in the victim. Micro-aggressions attack identity. The weight of these injurious transgressions is most definitely real.