GRM Mod #4 Meme Discussion

Microaggression Meme Discussion 

1. 

Meme: 

Meme credit: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/microaggression

I chose this meme because it demonstrates the reality of frustration with microaggressions. I do think this meme is funny because the subject is clearly annoyed by the question that is implied she is asked often because of her ethnicity. I think this meme is actually targeting those who speak microaggressions, but the question itself targets those of Asian descent who live in America because the question insinuates the asker does not believe the person if from America because of their heritage. This meme is trying to get the message across that asking things like this is not okay and that it is a frustrating microaggression that should be stopped. 

2. 

Meme: 

Meme credit: https://www.capturedbychantal.com/post/covid-19-and-microaggressions

I chose this meme because I liked the superhero element and the idea that Batman, the hero, was the one defending COVID-19 by calling it its proper name, not the microaggression of the Chinese virus. I thought it was funny because Batman is slapping the villain in the comic and therefore defeating the microaggression, so it is like it is being defeated in the real world. I think this is targeted at everyone who thinks it is okay to call it the Chinese virus and the message this is trying to spread is that it is not okay to do so. 

3. 

Meme: 

Meme credit: https://twitter.com/dankredditbot/status/1290138433352896512

I chose this meme because I thought it was a very light way to address a real issue, which the implicit bias in the workplace for white features. Instead of praising the beauty and diversity of different hairstyles and textures that vary in ethnicities, the boss revealed a bias for straight hair, which is more prominent in white individuals. Even though hair has nothing to do with a job, the person that tweeted this experienced a microaggression that implied her natural hair was less professional than someone else's, which is not okay. This meme is targeted at her employer and other employers who say or think similarity and tries to spread the message that this is reasoning to get in contact with HR, because this is a violation and not okay. 

4. 

Meme: 

Meme credit: https://me.me/i/the-universityof-north-carolina-has-posted-a-microaggression-list-atis-11943257

I liked the irony of this meme, which is why I chose it. There is a specific commentary here on the ignorance involved with people who think microaggressions are fake or too sensitive, where they then proceed to use another microaggression like this one to define it. Here, it seems laughable and is humorous because it is hard to imagine people saying something like this, but it is unfortunately targeted at people who choose to ignore these aggressions to demonstrate the message of how not to respond to addressing microaggressions. 

5. 

Meme: 

Meme credit: https://asianamericanpopculture.wordpress.com/2015/02/18/meme-project-3/

I thought this one was hilarious because I am just picturing the awkward look on the face of whoever said the first comment. This meme demonstrates the backhanded compliment, where someone thinks they are maybe saying something positive about another but instead are revealing their inner thoughts in the form of microaggressions. It is clear that someone wouldn't compliment a white American for their English because it seems like a given that they were born in America and therefore learned to speak English growing up. The fact that someone asked this reveals the person thought the other was not born in America, even though in this case, he was. Because it was only asked because of ethnicity, it is a microaggression. This meme is targeted at people who ask questions like this because it makes the person asking look stupid, so the message is that you should not ask this because you could be wrong.