Step 4: Answer the Questions

After the participants have rewritten the statements, they answer the questions below.

1. Many people refer to the cumulative impact of experiencing micro-aggressions as “death by a thousand nicks.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Explain your answer.
2. When people discuss micro-aggressions, a common response is that they are “innocent acts” and that the person who experiences them should “let go of the incident”. Do you agree or disagree with this point of view? Explain your reasoning.
3. If a person from a marginalized group pointed out to you that one of your comments was a micro-aggression, how would you respond at the time? Would it change the likelihood of your making a similar comment in the future? Why or why not?
4. Some people argue that the impact of subtle prejudice, such as micro-aggression, is more harmful than the impact of blatant discrimination. Do you agree or disagree with this proposition? Explain your answer.
5. Choose a micro-aggression from Column A. What do you think the possible intent was of the speaker? Does the intent change the impact of the statement for the person who experiences the micro-aggressions?