How To Write A Microaggression Essay

Microaggression is defined as a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally express an attitude toward a member of a marginalized group, such as Asian Americans, African Americans. Before completing this assignment, I was unaware of the term microaggression. As I contemplate on my microaggression, a variety of comments came to mind that made me feel less than. For my in-class presentation, my microaggression reads “So your name is Betty! Is that short for Elizabeth?”. While this microaggression does not pertain to a special marginalized group, it pertains to me a member of a minority group. Growing up in a society that considers you less than based simply on the color of your skin, one can imagine how a simple sentence or question can have a mental and physical impact on the body.

The name Betty is a profoundly popular and common name in Haiti and the U.S. However; the name is so popular in the U.S. that there are shows, and songs based on it. For example; a show called “Ugly Betty” and a song name “Black Betty”. As a foreigner, my understanding of the English language was extremely scarce. When I would go to school, I would be called “Ugly Betty” or “Hey Ugly Betty”. I had no knowledge of the show neither did I understand they were referring to me as ugly, so I would just smile. By the time I understand what ugly meant, I already owned it. “Ugly Betty” became my identity in my early years of school, here in the U.S. I did not know how to defend myself or maybe scared but I allowed them to call me as such, and “Ugly Betty” then defined me. I remember trying to convince myself that I was not ugly, but the damage was already