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Example Of Microaggression In Citizen

1516 Words7 Pages

When aggressors attack with negative or racist comments, victims react with silence intentionally or unintentionally. Claudia Rankine’s book Citizen: An American Lyric incorporates Rankine’s experiences with microaggressions as well as her thoughts on how racism in American society affects black Americans. In 1970, Dr. Chester M. Pierce, a psychiatrist, and Harvard professor coined microaggression as a term to describe daily racist insults. Pierce constructed this term after regularly witnessing incidents where non-black Americans assaulted black Americans with subtle yet hurtful racist comments. Citizen serves as a critique reflecting the daily racism in America and how American society treats black individuals. American society treats black …show more content…

Rankine’s close friend calls her by the [friend’s] black housekeeper’s name. Also, Rankine reflects on the multiple incidents because “[she] never called her [friend] on it” and that act of silence bothers Rankine (7). Her friend eventually stops calling her by the housekeeper’s name, but Rankine never forgets; the incidents weigh heavily on Rankine’s memory. When her friend first mistakes her for the housekeeper, Rankine responds with silence unintentionally due to shock; “[she] was at a loss for words” (7). As close as they are, Rankine doesn’t imagine that her friend will ever manage to make this error. Rankine assumes the housekeeper and her “[are] the only black people in her [friend’s] life”, even so, her friend should feel a closer connection to Rankine because they are close friends …show more content…

While Rankine drives an academic associate home, “he tells [her] his dean is making him hire a person of color when there are so many writers out there” (10). Rankine contemplates this conversation’s purpose because she doesn’t know what she did to provoke this conversation. Her colleague’s complaint causes her extreme discomfort and shock, triggering her intentional silence. Unlike the previous microaggression, she chooses to be silent quicker. The silent response contains intent because she can’t run away from this microaggression since they are in that confined space. Also, her colleague appears to have some power over her. Not only can he hire people, but she questions, “maybe this is an experiment and [she is] being tested” (10). Her question serves as a way to show how much power he has. She believes if she responds, she’ll be punished or judged for her

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