What are microaggressions?

Microaggressions are small, not-so-nice comments or actions that happen often and can make someone feel uncomfortable or upset.

Imagine you're playing with your favorite toy, a red ball. Every time you pick it up, someone says, "Oh, that's just a ball, why do you always play with the same one?" Even though they don’t mean to be mean, this happens again and again, and it starts to feel like no one thinks your ball is special.

Microaggressions are like that, little things people say or do that might not seem big at first, but over time, they can add up and make someone feel less valued or seen.

Think of microaggressions as sneaky comments in a game. You're playing tag with your friends, and every time you run fast, someone says, "You’re so quick, maybe you’re faster than the others!" It sounds like a compliment at first, but if it keeps happening, it might feel like they don’t think you can be just as good as everyone else.

These little comments or actions are microaggressions, and even though they're small, they matter.