As a black woman, I’m no stranger to microaggressions. But I’m tired of it. This week, a colleague randomly asked, “wow, what happened to your hair?” Interestingly, they attempted to retract the negative comment by snickering and awkwardly saying that her straight, brunette, hair was wild too. From my experience, aggressors tend to cover their tracks through quick self-deprecation.
Moreover, whether a person chooses to deprecate themselves or not after committing a microaggression, it still counts as a microaggression. So microaggresors, please do not insult a black woman’s intellgience by attempting to conceal underhanded attacks through self-deprecation.
Yes, my natural hair is a bit wild, especially when I wear afros. However, I don’t need anyone else, especially someone with whom I have yet to establish a strong rapport with, rudely commenting on my hair. And this is regardless if my hairstyle is natural or unnatural. So microaggressors, please keep your insenstitive and disrespectful comments to yourself.
Just because we have the freedom of speech does not mean its okay to spew out nasty venom or microaggressions, intentionally or unintentionally, as much as possible. It’s not okay, and it never has been. Microaggressors please think twice before you utter such negative remarks to a black woman. She may be a fighter, extremely vocal, a writer, or possibly all of the above. So, check yourself, or you will be confronted.
Being Paul & Chastity 