The Mediating Role of Colorblindness on Gender and Acceptability of Racial Microaggressions among Black People at a Historically White Institution

Chronic exposure to racial microaggressions (i.e., interpersonal race-based insults or invalidations that are often based stereotypes) may lead to traumatic stress symptoms, increased headaches, reduced self-efficacy, and fatigue among Black individuals. We were interested in examining differences in how Black students, faculty, and staff at a historically white institution rate racial microaggressions as acceptable, with particular focus on gender and colorblind racial attitudes as predictors. Using survey-based methods and mediation analysis, we found that colorblind racial attitudes mediate the relation between gender and ratings of acceptability. Implications for research and practice are discussed.