What is microaggression? Microaggression refers to subtle, everyday exchanges and behaviors that communicate derogatory or hostile messages. These interactions can be verbal, nonverbal, or environmental cues, typically embedded in prejudices, stereotypes, or biases. Generally, microaggressions can focus on various aspects of a person’s identity, including gender, race, sexual orientation or preference, religion, disability status, or socioeconomic context. In this article, I will specifically focus more on microaggressions in relationships that usually manifest as passive-aggressive behaviors. Examples of microaggressions in relationships: Mocking jokes or remarks that include sexist or racist undertones Patronizing due to age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or disability Making statements around different words that originate from your native language Mocking stereotypical gestures of your ethnicity or culture Making comments that undermine the capabilities or experiences of individuals with disabilities Minimizing someone’s emotional experiences Gaslighting or manipulating someone into questioning their perceptions, memories, or sanity Belittling or downplaying someone’s concerns or experiences These microaggression behaviors usually fall into three categories: micro-invalidations, micro-insults, and micro-assaults. Micro-invalidations Micro-invalidations refer to subtle actions or statements that invalidate or …