Essay Assignment Guide Please respond to the following prompt in a 300-500 word essay. Your references (in APA format) should not be included in the word total. The file you upload should be a Word document named “LastnameModule4Essay.doc” or “LastnameModule4Essay.docx” and should include your name and word count at the top of the page. You are expected to comply with all academic integrity expectations, as per the academic integrity agreement completed for the course. Please complete the assignment individually (do not discuss or share answers with classmates or others). Prompt: In the Module 4 lectures we discussed two concepts that are critical to understanding health inequities in the United States: “microagressions” and “modern racism” (Sue et al, 2007). For this essay: 1. Provide a brief description of “microaggressions” in your own words, in a way that would be understandable to an average person. 2. Provide a brief explanation of “modern racism” in your own words, in a way that would be understandable to an average person. 3. Choose one of these phenomena and describe and explain its role in creating and perpetuating health inequities in the United. Please provide a specific example from your own experience to illustrate your explanation (please do not use the same examples used in the readings or lectures). NOTE: The example from your own experience does not need to be something that you were directly involved with, but rather could be something that you witnessed or observed. I understand that these essays may contain sensitive content, and I ensure you that I will maintain your confidentiality. All citations and references should be in APA format.

 

Micro aggression, Modern Racism, and Health Inequities

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Microaggressions

Microaggressions are the daily exchanges between people that convey some sort of demeaning messages. Therefore, it makes them feel that they do not belong to the majority or invalidate the group identity (Gartner & Sterzing, 2018). These messages can be verbal, non-verbal, or insults just to mention a few. The intention is basically to hurt marginalized groups which include those with disabilities, women among others. For instance, women are not allowed to plant trees by men in some communities demanding to be men’s work. This apparently means that women are regarded as inferior and they can do nothing in the fields. Currently, microaggression indicates how much marginalization has driven deep in our current world. Our beliefs, behaviors, gender, racists have made most of the people practice discrimination either intentionally or unintentionally (Gartner & Sterzing, 2018).  Therefore, we should eradicate all these biases because they create parity amongst individuals in a nation or state. Since these biases create psychological torture, we should all deny and end these acts. Consequently, these marginalized groups improve their way of living through equal education, employment, and other rights as well (Gartner & Sterzing, 2018).

Modern racism

Modern racism is a state of criticism on African Americans that rose in the United States in 1950’s and 1970’s (Liu & Mills, 2006). Therefore, it has evolved and it is currently a microaggression. All these facts are mindset and behaviors of an individual based on the race. For instance, black athletes are regarded as the best in athletics compared to the whites. On the other hand, the whites are regarded as the most intelligent compared to the blacks (Liu & Mills, 2006).  However, modern racism is portrayed in the media in different ways or during socialization. For example, meeting with families and friends contribute to beliefs and myths we have which leads to either superiority or inferiority (Liu & Mills, 2006). In addition, modern racism cannot be seen but its results are intense.

Creating and perpetuating health inequities in the United.

Microaggresssion is a form of discrimination that affects the minority groups. It lowers the living standards in a broad spectrum. First, health inequities are unfair, therefore, affecting the social conditions of the people. These are the places in which the people are growing in, live, and work (Smith-Oka, 2015).  Secondly, most of the children contract diseases due to poor attention made to the marginalized groups. These diseases include malaria, pneumonia, and tetanus, among others (Smith-Oka, 2015). The children lifespan is therefore reduced because of marginalization. Thirdly, there is a slow development among the marginalized communities. Therefore creating poverty among the individuals. Moreover, the gap between the rich and the poor people develops thus superiority and inferiority results. Development of social amenities such as schools, health facilities is very slow and can be rated below 15% (Smith-Oka, 2015). Finally, the economy of the state decreases drastically due to many diversions of capital to health care. The Gross Domestic Product declines due to much spending and loses from productivity and tax payment as well.

 

References

Gartner, R. E., & Sterzing, P. R. (2018). Social ecological correlates of family-level interpersonal and environmental microaggressions toward sexual and gender minority adolescents. Journal of Family Violence, 33(1), 1-16.

Liu, J. H., & Mills, D. (2006). Modern racism and neo‐liberal globalization: the discourses of plausible deniability and their multiple functions. Journal of community & applied social psychology, 16(2), 83-99.

Smith-Oka, V. (2015). Microaggressions and the reproduction of social inequalities in medical encounters in Mexico. Social Science & Medicine, 143, 9-16.