Subtle Acts of Exclusion, Second Edition

This new edition of the first practical, nonjudgmental handbook on dealing with microaggressions has been thoroughly updated for the post George Floyd, post Covid world.

Overt discrimination is relatively easy to spot. But the less obvious but more common actions that make people feel left out or stigmatized in our workplaces, commonly called microaggressions, can be hard to identify—and even harder to deal with.

The author use a clearer, more accurate term: subtle acts of exclusion (SAE). After all, people generally aren’t trying to be aggressive—usually they’re trying to say something nice, learn more about a person, or be funny. Bring accused of aggression shuts the conversation down when you want to open it up.

This book features examples, tools, sample scripts, and action plans to help listeners prevent subtle acts of aggression from happening, or deal with them when they do.

Updated throughout, this second edition features:

• A greatly expanded chapter on “intentional acts of inclusion”—actions for creating a sense of belonging.
• A discussion and activity guide ideal for book clubs and training sessions.
• A new concluding chapter.

Whether in the form of stereotypes, assumptions, backhanded compliments, or objectification, SAEs are damaging to our coworkers, friends, and acquaintances. This book is your friendly, accessible, non-judgemental guide to creating a welcoming workplace.