Microaggressions are subtle, often unintentional, actions or comments that can marginalise or discriminate against individuals from marginalised groups. They can manifest in everyday interactions and speech, perpetuating stereotypes and reinforcing systemic inequalities. Understanding and recognising microaggressions is crucial for addressing and mitigating their impact.
Highlighting Microaggressions in Trump’s Speech
In a recent speech, Donald Trump stated: “She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black and now, she wants to be known as Black. So, I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?”
A white woman, Jessica Kiragu reflecting on this statement, acknowledges the key messages and behaviours embedded within it, recognising the microaggressions that Trump’s words exemplify. She, along with others like her, understands the necessity of confronting and stopping such behaviour.
Key Messages and Behaviour in Trump’s Speech
Trump’s speech illustrates several problematic behaviours:
- Setting Arbitrary Standards for Politeness: By questioning someone’s racial identity based on his standards, Trump imposes his subjective criteria for how someone should identify themselves. This act of setting arbitrary norms for others to follow is a form of microaggression that perpetuates a sense of control over marginalised groups.
- Defining Others’ Race: Trump’s insistence on defining the racial identity of the individual in question highlights a common microaggression. By doing so, he disregards the individual’s self-identification and autonomy, reducing their complex identity to a simplistic, binary choice.
Personal Reflection on Whiteness
For Jessica Kiragu, a white woman, much of what Trump says and does feels foreign. Partnered with a Black man and parent to mixed heritage children, she often finds herself incensed by his ideas and actions. Yet, upon watching Trump’s interview, she reluctantly sees a reflection of herself in his words. This recognition is unsettling, as she realises that some of the behaviours, she has unconsciously absorbed align with the same brand of whiteness Trump displays.
The Complexity of Whiteness
Whiteness, as she acknowledges, is deeply intertwined in her identity. Witnessing the cruelty and lack of humanity in certain white behaviours causes her to recoil, wanting to distance herself from them. However, she is also aware of the familiarity and comfort that come with the norms of whiteness, despite knowing their harmful implications.
She recognises that the expectations of politeness and the entitlement to question others’ racial identities are learned behaviours within white communities. These behaviours, seen in Trump’s actions, are unfortunately normalised within many white circles.
Taking Responsibility and Making Change
This personal reflection serves as a wake-up call. She understands that her belief in being different from Trump is shattered, revealing the ingrained nature of these microaggressions. While unsettling, this realisation is also a call to action. As someone committed to unlearning whiteness, she must continue to confront and dismantle these harmful norms.
She acknowledges that Trump did not create racism or white superiority but amplifies and legitimises these destructive ideas. The ease with which people dehumanise others based on race is alarming and disheartening, emphasising the need for constant vigilance and effort in fighting for racial equality.
Resolute in the Fight Against Whiteness
Despite feeling scared and tired in the face of Trump’s influence, she remains resolute. The whiteness she shares with Trump cannot be allowed to persist unchallenged. As a white person, she is in a position to help stop it, recognising that the responsibility to address and eradicate microaggressions lies with those who benefit from the current system.