PLOT TWIST: UVA course teaches how 'liberal whites' commit microaggressions

The University of Virginia held a one-credit hour course during the fall 2018 semester that was aimed at describing why “liberal whites” use microaggressions as a way to vent their frustrations over racial, cultural, and sexual equality.

Titled “Microaggressions: Why Are ‘They’ So Sensitive?”, the course taught students about various types of microaggressions such as “you are so articulate,” “those stripes make you look thin,” “I am so glad that I have an Asian lab partner for Chemistry—now I know that I’m going to get an A,” and more.

The course description states that when a person commits a microaggression, it usually results in a minimal reaction from the person whom they are offending and “the speaker may be unaware that the comments were negatively perceived.” 

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Such verbal statements may create “unconscious friction between/among individuals or groups.” The course description cites an academic study, which explains why “liberal whites” commit microaggressions.

“According to Sue (2007, 2010), liberal whites (and sometimes nonwhites) use microaggressions as a way to show their concern and commitment for racial, cultural, and sexual egalitarianism, and are genuinely surprised when told that these kinds of comments may create a wider divide,” states the course description.

In addition, students taking the class will examine different types of microaggressions with the goal of understanding different types of sensitivities.

[RELATED: Students’ answer to ‘microaggressions’? Mandatory diversity training]

“In the class, we will examine and discuss these kinds of [real world] statements and behaviors with regard to linguistic ambiguity,” the description states. “Goals for this class include (1) a better understanding of cultural, ethnic, and gender sensitivities relative to language products and processing.”

The microaggression course bears the COLA 1500 designation, meaning that it is only offered to first-year students at UVA.

Robert Andrews, chairman of College Republicans at UVA, told Campus Reform that rather than from microaggressions, he thinks the divide in today’s society stems from identity politics.

“The main thing that creates a divide in today’s society is when we use inter-sectional identities as a way to adjust how we treat people. The optimal solution is to treat people based on the content of their character,” Andrews said. “A simple rule of thumb is to treat everyone the same. We all must recognize that we are created by a God who sees us equally and endows us with unique qualities that make us special.”

Andrews also spoke about the course’s reference to “white liberals” using microaggressions.

“It also it interesting how white liberals are ones who tend to treat minorities differently based on their skin color. In many cases, they demean these folks with the ways they dumb-down their language so to speak as seen in a recent study,” the College Republicans president told Campus Reform.

 UVA did not respond to a request for comment in time for press.

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