Working to make our department inclusive for everyone is a pivotal activity led by our Physics and Astronomy and Natural Sciences inclusion group (PANSIG). One aspect of our work is to embed professional conduct into the departmental culture, and following the development of our departmental Code of Conduct and Inclusion, we have started to run poster campaigns to raise awareness of selected equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) topics. The first of these campaigns focussed on the subject of microaggressions to raise awareness of the negative impact they can have on an inclusive culture.
Microaggressions can hinder the development of an inclusive environment, particularly for people from marginalised groups, making them a fundamental topic for our inclusion group to tackle. Microaggressions are subtle, often unintended, comments or actions that convey negative messages towards individuals who may be more vulnerable. Even though the person commenting or acting might not intend harm, the words or actions can still cause emotional distress. Despite criticisms that have been levelled at microaggressions – such as concerns about oversensitivity or misunderstandings – extensive evidence shows that they can cause significant harm to those who experience them. This is highlighted in this discussion by students at the University of Exeter (YouTube video).
Our poster campaign focussed on helping staff and students understand what microaggressions are and how they can cause harm. Identifying microaggressions can be challenging for various reasons, including implicit biases, assumptions and lack of awareness. We used content produced by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, which has an excellent range of resources on inclusion, in our posters. The content included examples and explanations for microaggressions toward disability, gender, LGBTQ+, and race. We modified the content to highlight our inclusion group’s endorsement of the message and to add a QR code so that staff and students could give feedback on the poster or learn more about PANSIG’s work.
The posters elicited a range of benefits. Staff and students mentioned seeing the posters, and during a departmental away day, some noted points of advice they had read. Conversations were initiated on why it was important to tackle the topic of microaggressions in the department. Staff also provided helpful feedback on how we could improve the messaging of the issues. For example, one discussion highlighted the complexity of certain behaviours, such as eye contact, which can be interpreted differently based on cultural norms or neurodivergent experiences, where direct eye contact might be seen as disrespectful or uncomfortable.
Overall, our poster campaign on microaggressions was successful, not least because it moved conversations on EDI out from the inclusion group and into the wider department. As we continue to work toward a more inclusive department, we encourage all our staff and students to engage with our resources and share constructive feedback. We also encourage new members to join PANSIG to help us build a truly welcoming and supportive environment for everyone.
