"You don't seem gay"
Microaggressions--that is, everyday slights, insults and prejudices--are a fact of life for many members of marginalized communities, including persons who identify as LGBTQ+. Decades of research have shown that everyday slights and exclusionary acts have a big impact, with the "daily stress of feeling marginalized" contributing to significant health disparities, such as higher rates of anxiety and depression in the LGBTQ+ community (Woo 2021).
One of the challenges to combatting microaggressions is that they often reflect unconscious bias, meaning the person who is speaking or acting in a hurtful way--like using the wrong pronouns or making an assumption about a person's sexual identity--doesn't realize the impact they are having. Clinical psychologist Dr. Aaron Malark explains, "So many microaggressions can be unconscious and come from a well-meaning place but are still harmful" (Woo 2021).
Because microaggressions are pervasive and impactful, it's important to learn to recognize and combat them. This includes folks outside the LGBTQ+ community. "For too long," Dr. Malark asserts, "people relied on LGBTQ+ folks to speak up. Everyone needs to join in." Psychiatrist Dr. Jess Zonana calls this being an "upstander" rather than a "bystander" (Woo 2021).
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Learn how everyday interactions can be a minefield for folks in the LGBTQ+ community, and what you can do to help create a more inclusive society.
References:
Woo, Andrea (2021, June 15). How Microaggressions Affect the LGBTQ+ Community. New York Presbyterian/Health Matters. https://healthmatters.nyp.org/how-microaggressions-affect-the-lgbtq-community/
