Since I seem to have y’all’s attention lately, I’d like to make a PSA directed at those of you who are not people of color. If you’ve ever joked with your Black woman co-worker by saying something to the effect of “Oh, I’d never do that to you because you’d probably beat me up/slap me/set my office on fire/etc,” that is a microaggression. This particular microaggression stems from the stereotype of the “angry Black woman.” This comment implies that your co-worker is violent/aggressive/volatile/etc. This microaggression is particularly egregious when, as is usually the case considering you’re in the workplace, you have never heard your co-worker make an even remotely violent comment or seen her behave in an even remotely violent manner.

That’s all for today’s lesson. See you next time.