Teenagers Discuss Microaggressions and Racism #HatchKids

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[lyyyndsey]

I always tell myself "don't read the comments" but then I do? When will I ever learn.

[cantmatchmyjas]

"How long is your real hair?" "you should wear your hair straight, " "can you feel me touching your braids?" "How are you so smart?" "Do you get food stamps?" I hear stuff like that, amongst other things, on the daily, mostly from people I consider friends. Although by this point I learn to not dwell on it or take the words to heart, they still hurt. Growing up I'd hear I "talk like a white girl" and it made me insecure and want to change myself. Microaggressions are real and hardly homes and it sucks that people take them as such.

[barbaragordon]

It''s funny how the people that say this crap, are the ones saying this video is political correctness, whiny, and oversensitive. In reality you can get punched in the face, you never know just how sick and tired that person is, and it seems like explaining the issue civilly doesn't work. You can't constantly disrespect someone everyday, mask it as a "joke", try to force them to "get it over it", and think there won't be a problem. 

[witchplease]

Once this kid told me "Wow. You look nice for a dark girl." and then he grinned wide and winked as if he just did me a huge favor and I'm supposed to fall in love with him or something after that. I simply looked down at him and responded "Wow. You're pretty stupid for an Asian." and walked away. Ignorant people like that aren't worth any attention. Pay no mind to them my sisters, you are all beautiful for a human being - not some exception to a nonexistent rule in which racist people believe our kind was meant to come out of the womb ugly. 

[CiderDivider]

all of the downvotes and rude comments are people saying "my words don't hurt others because those words wouldn't hurt me" smh

[alliesewnique]

Being a mixed girl (black\white) in a predominantly white community, I experienced comments like this all the time! It so true what these girls are saying. It does seem like ots not a big deal but it does hurt. This video makes me happy to see that I'm not the only one. Thanks you!

[jcmcc]

I am fairly cold towards "microagression" as it only applies to the "recognized" put-upons. Being a red-haired boy that grew up with constant "microagressions" I simply realized something: "microagression" is just people being "ultra-touchy". I have had requests ranging from touching my hair, to asking to cut off a bit and keep it in a bottle. I am routinely ostracized for my hair color and am always the "odd one out" in groups. Yes, I am different. I am different and have no "group". Red heads are rare enough that we can't stick together. In a school, you might have a "black group" a "lesbian group" or a "basketball group" but there is never a "red haired group" Because its usually 1 or 2 kids in the whole school. My only successes with making good friends have been online because they don't judge me by how I look. My wife met me online originally. When people ask to touch my hair, I don't get offended because I realize they are purely curious as I am a curio. They do not mean to be rude or "aggressive". People who get offended over little things need to realize that the world isn't a kind place. This is a cruel, shitty world. The only thing common in humans is our inequality. Being offended over microaggression is the epitome of self-victimization.

[lexilu]

I've dealt with this my entire life and I never knew what it was called. 

[mereporstu]

"are you really a crab?" and "how can you see deep down in the sea?" are among the worst i've experienced

[gwyn]

They showed us this video at my school on the first day 😐

[entropyfu]

You can chose not to be offended by what anyone says.  Elenor Roosevelt said “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Why give others the power to make you feel bad? 

[WaffleAssasinX]

I get "why do you sound white?"   I remember when i first heard that and it did hurt, I'm just like is there a certain way I'm suppose to talk because I'm Hispanic? I was self-conscious for a while. And also comments like  "Oh you're hair is so cute but it would look cuter  Straight" there as a period when i was younger where i would just straighten my hair thinking " i look better this way" but now that I got over that stage where I give no fucks and I'm in college, i do my own thing. I just want to let people know be careful what you say because people might already feel self-conscious about what you point out. And to the people who receive these comment, it might take a while, but sometimes you just got to think to yourself "i dont care what your opinion is" because there's always going to people like that 

[Sheknows]

Have you ever experienced a microagression? Share with us in the comments.

[greggdavis]

And of course the "I hate political correctness" crowd must chime in on this. They never miss an opportunity to NOT try to be better, more sensitive and civil people.

We live in a civilization, a diverse civilization. Civilizations are able to exist because people buy into them, because they WANT them to work and succeed, because they agree to abide by a social contract.

Some people seem to want to put the absolute minimum effort into helping our diverse civilization succeed. They don't want to make any effort to change or improve, to be better people. In fact, they seem to prefer, at best, that minorities be seen and not heard, or perhaps not even seen; at worse, they wish minorities would somehow go away, and for everyone to look and be pretty much the same as them, so they never have to feel any discomfort whatsoever or learn anything new.

[peoplemcnuggetz]

I get where they can offend, but it IS a small thing. I think it's all on how you handle the situation. People keep trying to banish bullying but, that's never gonna happen. People will always judge you. How about you teach kids how to handle a situation like that instead? In a good way of course. Like that one choir director on American Idol, he was a big man and Simon said "Did you eat the rest of the choir?" The director could have acted offended or been embarrassed but instead he licked his fingers and made people laugh. It's all in your perspective on things.

[brothegaminghero]

can I get the specific location on that citation because I am not looking through 64 issues of the journal to look at the specifics?

[fathobbit]

It's always been like this. I was brought up with a morbidly obese step-mother and her two fat daughters. Every single day I had to endure these sort of comments. Would she ever think to maybe go on a diet or try to improve her life - No just rubbish every little accomplishment I achieved - my whole life

[ladystegosaurus]

It's easy to tell people they're whiny, they're victimizing themselves, grow a thicker skin, this is not an issue, when you're probably part of a group that barely experiences a fraction of "micro-aggression" and blatant racism that some others go through. Most of us have a thick skin. I am a Black, twenty-something female, and if I didn't have a thick skin I would have offed myself a long time ago due to all of the ignorance I've gotten from people through their words and actions. I would go home crying constantly but I don't because I'm strong and know my worth. I have the strength to defend myself and keep it moving. Being hurt by ignorance is not worth it because the next ignorant comment, whether intentional or not, is not too far behind. DEFENDING YOURSELF AGAINST IGNORANCE IS YOUR RIGHT AND YOU'RE NOT WRONG OR A CRY-BABY FOR DOING SO. Being upset that someone puts you in your place due to your racist actions is the real weak behavior. You can't accept that you're wrong or inappropriate. If you're using your free speech to try and insult people and assert your perceived superiority, find a better use for it.

Microaggressions are part of a much bigger issue. If this issue doesn't affect you and you don't think it's important, move on, but don't insult people for speaking out about it. These comments have underlying meaning. "You speak White" (underlying: unlike the rest of your heathen brethren). "You should be happy for affirmative action" (underlying: because you wouldn't be here/ have this job if it weren't for it). Affirmative Action alone has become the war-cry of Caucasians who feel they're jilted out of jobs or an education. That's some real victimization. It's not at all possible that you weren't qualified right?  I'm a firm believer that most people who spew this crap are aware of these meanings.

Be racist all you want in your home. That's your burden, deal with it on your own time. Make jokes all you want with your like-minded friends, but keep it there. You do not have the right to say whatever you want to people and then tell them not to be offended when you are not on the receiving end. Don't cry when you're on the receiving end of someone's wrath when you don't understand this.

And just a warning, most employers and some educational systems recognize the diversity of their employees, patrons, and students and one day you might say something they cannot afford to tolerate. You'll get booted and then who will need the thicker skin?

[mortmann]

I don't get why "Can I touch your hair" is aggression?!?! When I spent a semester abroad in South East Asia people asked me all the time to touch my skin and hair because I was different. I would even have people I am walking by stop and take a picture of me! What did I care? Why is that a problem? People are forgetting that you have a CHOICE to take offense to something or not. We need to teach our children to love themselves for whom they are, and to teach them about their intrinsic dignity.
For all of these children who are confused by being different and people asking them about it. WHERE ARE THEIR PARENTS!?!?!?! Teach your children that their difference is beautiful and OWN it!! And guess what, your difference is only different because of your present location.

[HobbesandCalvinFan]

>Hanlon's razor
I'm pretty sure most "microaggressions" weren't meant to be offensive, or whatever.