Microaggression, Women, and Social Work

The behaviors described as microaggression, and the responses of people who are the target of microaggressions, underlie many of the challenges social workers strive to help clients overcome. In addition, many female social workers and academicians are targets of microaggression. This can be the case when dealing with institutions on clients’ behalf, or when managing relations and careers within their own institutions. There are three main aims of this editorial: (1) to clearly define and explain the concept of microaggression, (2) to call attention to the effects of microaggression on female academicians and on clients, and (3) to provide perspectives on how social workers can prevent and intervene when microaggressions occur.