tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post6564875176777792821..comments2024-03-27T05:00:00.090-04:00Comments on Letters to a Young Librarian: Handling Microaggressions in the Library, by Amanda M. LeftwichJessica Olinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00282500023825318766noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-34752971500979099432017-08-18T15:23:50.605-04:002017-08-18T15:23:50.605-04:00Librarians are educators, whether they realize it ...Librarians are educators, whether they realize it or not. We have an unique opportunity to open the floor for conversations in a neutral way. Everything that you mentioned opened the door for conversation and deeper understanding of another's culture without rudeness! Thank you for your comment.Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13848882025484078866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-88159552101791946232017-08-15T12:15:58.447-04:002017-08-15T12:15:58.447-04:00Precisely because I'm White and cisgendered fe...Precisely because I'm White and cisgendered female, I think it falls on me to address the innocent/ignorant comments that I hear (or, more often, overhear). It's easiest to say something when the comment is close to home but not about me. When a college-aged patron made a joke about gender-neutral bathrooms, I was able to open a conversation about my transgender child and how important it is for him to feel safe. When two separate phone patrons mentioned how they planned to base a creative project (art, musical composition) on "Native American culture," I engaged them in lengthy discussions about cultural appropriation and how there's not one single Indigenous culture.<br />But I have not yet been able to call people out on run-of-the-mill sexist comments. I hope men will step up to help me out with that.SW Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00253490343869094301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-32902785949836247612017-08-14T16:11:28.548-04:002017-08-14T16:11:28.548-04:00Hi Karl,
Thank you for your kind words! By speaki...Hi Karl,<br /><br />Thank you for your kind words! By speaking up, we can make a difference. I hope it'll help someone in the future.<br /><br />Amanda Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13848882025484078866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-29012389694862483822017-08-14T12:24:27.027-04:002017-08-14T12:24:27.027-04:00One of the wisest principles I follow comes from D...One of the wisest principles I follow comes from Don Miguel Ruiz's "The Four Agreements". The second agreement, "Don't take anything personally" has helped me a lot... note, it most definitely does not mean to ignore or endure the aggressions... rather, this touchstone helps me cultivate a response that is in proportion and without aggression myself. You talk about this in your first bullet point, when you counsel to start the conversation in a non-defensive way. This is so crucial for there to be any chance of progress. It doesn't make you responsible for another's behavior/speech. Honestly, if we don't speak up, nothing will ever change. Thank you for your contribution to moving along in a helpful way.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13469940719036667427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-26609389710960171122017-08-14T11:17:42.799-04:002017-08-14T11:17:42.799-04:00Exactly, no one has to just "deal" with ...Exactly, no one has to just "deal" with things like this anymore. Thank you for your comment! Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13848882025484078866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-21568208798787005202017-08-14T10:38:46.389-04:002017-08-14T10:38:46.389-04:00And thank you Amanda for addressing a very real is...And thank you Amanda for addressing a very real issue that is so much a part of our culture that it becomes invisible until highlighted by those who have endured. No more enduring! Karl Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13333166165648065222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-18804515932765068372017-08-14T10:34:03.083-04:002017-08-14T10:34:03.083-04:00You are responsible however, for understanding and...You are responsible however, for understanding and unpacking how the language you choose to use with others, and the assumptions that you make about others and the context in which we live, effect every aspect of our relationships, professional and personal. You must be willing to address the very real possibility of having your own blinders on and be willing to take them off in order to have a better look at the situation.Karl Ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13333166165648065222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-37506562710846431862017-08-13T11:48:12.165-04:002017-08-13T11:48:12.165-04:00Hi Marsha! Thank you for your comments. That's...Hi Marsha! Thank you for your comments. That's a great point to mention the other person in your rebuttal. We need to address issues head-on and without reservation!Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13848882025484078866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-43771032984799214452017-08-13T11:41:07.581-04:002017-08-13T11:41:07.581-04:00Hi Pablo! I'd love to discuss this topic with ...Hi Pablo! I'd love to discuss this topic with you further about the language/vernacular surrounding this issue. I'll share your blog with other librarians to start a larger discussion. Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13848882025484078866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-46015397137005011342017-08-12T09:02:30.560-04:002017-08-12T09:02:30.560-04:00Thank you for this article. I have been a practici...Thank you for this article. I have been a practicing librarian for over 30 years. I am still dealing with these types of microaggressions on a regular basis. I often respond by asking, "If I said this to you, how would YOU feel?". Which usually stops the speaker in their tracks. It is extremely difficult to have a discussion about this topic at my workplace because I constantly have to deal with the "but I'm a good person" defense. So I just address the situations as they come up.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05424635768652515673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-53446439638509847012017-08-12T02:55:51.344-04:002017-08-12T02:55:51.344-04:00Aloha from Hawaii,
I found your article, and I wo...Aloha from Hawaii,<br /><br />I found your article, and I would like share why I think we should replace the word "microaggression" with "stereotyping". Where I'm from, the word "micro" is a racist insult used towards Micronesians, who are heavily discriminated in Hawaii, therefore people are very reluctant to use the word "microaggression" when discussing race relations. I know you mean no harm by it, but I really think that terms should be retired.<br /><br />You can learn more by reading my blog post on the issue <br />http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2016/04/racial-irritations-and-tiny-aggressions.html<br />Pablohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04545707868260247057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-79029179230895896342017-08-11T23:55:39.288-04:002017-08-11T23:55:39.288-04:00Thank you for your response! Thank you for your response! Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13848882025484078866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-66527263167678991942017-08-11T21:45:37.328-04:002017-08-11T21:45:37.328-04:00Just found your blog through AL's newsletter. ...Just found your blog through AL's newsletter. Love it! This is a very important topic. Thanks for writing about it. celticjuliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03390002141769754144noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-87940619919167133462017-08-11T16:53:26.282-04:002017-08-11T16:53:26.282-04:00Curiosity isn't aggressive, but the tone in wh...Curiosity isn't aggressive, but the tone in which some of the comments are given are. That's the point of the article. It's usually not about what's said, but the tone in which was used. I'm not trying to police anyone, but help them understand that some comments aren't for the workplace. Most importantly, if someone feels uncomfortable that need to mention it right away. Thank you for your response. Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13848882025484078866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-56202884875755398972017-08-11T16:30:06.625-04:002017-08-11T16:30:06.625-04:00I must disagree--a query or action is either aggre...I must disagree--a query or action is either aggressive or it is not, there is no "micro" about it. Aggressions should be covered and handled by policy and take personality out of the equation. Curiosity is not an aggression, it is a human condition based on personal experience. Humans think and related within contexts, and questions tagged as microaggressive are typically little more than people looking for commonalities that they can identify. Irrespective of the intent, an offense is only taken by the hearer. I choose neither to be offended nor to respond in kind. Trying to rectify microaggressions means making me responsible for fixing other people's problems, and that isn't possible.Richard Saundershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13141969040577648347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-30480319201343682622017-08-11T16:20:16.964-04:002017-08-11T16:20:16.964-04:00Thank you for your response! You have to be your o...Thank you for your response! You have to be your own advocate, and you obviously have it down pat! Hopefully, this article will help others do so. Congratulations on the new job :)Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13848882025484078866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4061870849031468581.post-80962094986593364002017-08-11T14:12:34.684-04:002017-08-11T14:12:34.684-04:00Thank you for your post. I started a new job and ...Thank you for your post. I started a new job and was taken aback by a comment that I perceived as hostile and a put down. I was careful to respond, after a moment's reflection so I could do it in a more neutral than angry way, with When you said X, I felt Y. Even though it was uncomfortable, I left feeling good about how I handled it. We need to call microaggressive behaviors out.Imahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10383747790869002064noreply@blogger.com