Microaggressions in the Classroom [Watch]

0:00 - 0:30

While here at UNC, I've heard, uhm, "You're so pretty for a black girl." I feel like it discounts me as a person and then I feel it discounts my race. I feel like I can be pretty just because you're a woman or, you know, all black women are beautiful. All people of color are beautiful. Just the same as people that are not people of color. So for them to make that specific statement, that's what, I'm like, what in you made you say that to me? As if it were a compliment. 

0:31 - 0:46

So another type of micro-insult is when students in the classroom are dismissed or treated almost as if they are invisible. For instance, in some of our sciences or engineering classes, there are few women, and professors often don't call on those women.

0:47 -1:34

I had one instance in a statistics-based class where we were discussing something bell curve related and he presented a question, and I don't remember exactly what the answer was but I answered it and he kind of doubted me and he very condescendingly was just like, "Oh, oh okay, I mean this is the best answer but I guess your answer could be right. You know what, we'll ask, it was a grad student, we'll ask Dr. So and So and see what he thinks the best answer is." And there was no apology or anything. He was just like, "Oh yea, Dr. So and So said, "Yea, that was actually a really acceptable answer." And I was just like, okay. What else is he going to doubt me on and what else am I going to be called out on in front of 70 other people, you know, and have a weird exchange that makes the whole room quiet like.

1:35 - 2:09

One of my science classes, my teacher had asked what I wanted to do and I told the teacher I wanted to be a psychiatrist. And immediately their like, "That's too hard for you. You should try a different field or have you ever thought about being a nurse or a nurse practitioner? Nurse practitioners in Psychiatry make a lot of money too. Have you thought about that? Like why go to med school?" Generally, sometimes, somebody might feel like they can't make it, you know, and then when you continue tell them that it does hurt, you know. 

2:10 - 2:34

I have, uhm,  a lot of professors tell me to my face that they were surprised I was as a good a student as I was. Uhm that I paid attention in class and actually participated. And when I asked why they said, "You know, you just come off as a trouble maker. You have all these piercings, short hair as a girl, and tattoos. We just naturally assume you aren't going to be any good."

2:35 - 2:39

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