Microaggressions Are A Big Deal: How To Talk Them Out And When To Walk Away

Kevin Nadal, a professor of psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, has spent years researching and writing books on the effects of microaggressions. As these big structural issues play out, he says it’s important to confront the small stuff.

“We navigate all of these things in our lives,” Nadal says. “For many of us on a daily, hourly basis. And for some of us where we might not even recognize that we are navigating them or even perpetrating them.”

To be clear, the “micro” in microaggression doesn’t mean that these acts can’t have big, life-changing impacts. They can, which is all the more reason to address them when you see them.

Listen to the interview with Nadal about microaggressions — what they are, whether the intent of the person committing the microaggression matters, how to navigate difficult conversations, and more.

Excerpted from “Microaggressions Are A Big Deal: How To Talk Them Out And When To Walk Away” on NPR. Read the full article for an edited transcript of the interview on the NPR website.

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