Subtle Acts of Exclusion, Second Edition

An expanded edition of the first practical, nonjudgmental handbook for dealing with microaggressions, featuring examples, sample scripts, action plans, a new discussion and activity guide, and up-to-date suggestions for creating a culture of belonging in the workplace.

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 readers 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, Hope for Humanity

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.

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Introduction: Changing Minds and Behavior
• 1 There’s Nothing Micro about It
• 2 Personal Pre-work: Beyond Inactive Bystanders
• 3 Interpersonal Action: SAE Accountability
• 4 Institutional Action: Embedding SAE Accountability
• 5 Gender and Sexuality SAE
• 6 Race and Ethnicity SAE
• 7 Ability SAE
• 8 Religion SAE
• 9 Age and Generation SAE
• 10 Intentional Acts of Inclusion
• 11 Understanding and Talking about Subtle Acts of Exclusion: Activity and Discussion Guide
• Conclusion: Hope for Humanity
• Notes
• Glossary
• Acknowledgments
• Index
• About the Authors
• About TMI Consulting, Inc.
• About Iris Inclusion

“This is an unreasonable manifesto. It's unreasonable because it challenges us to take responsibility, to be kind, to dig in, and to change the invisible corners of our culture. We've got work to do. Unreasonable is precisely what we need.”
-Seth Godin, author of This is Marketing

“This book skillfully uses stories and research to build a deep understanding that is able to take something negative and turn it into an opportunity to productively come together and create more support, trust, and equity.”
-Aimee Meredith Cox, PhD, Associate Professor of Anthropology, New York University, and author of Shapeshifters

“Jana and Baran have provided us a powerful tool to help us learn about how subtle forms of bias can profoundly impact people's sense of belonging and their ability to perform at the highest level. Through thoughtful research and powerful examples, they have not only brilliantly articulated the problem but also offered us a pathway to a solution. Kudos!”
-Howard Ross, author of ReInventing Diversity, Everyday Bias, and Our Search for Belonging

“This book should open the floodgates for people to tell their own stories of being subtly excluded at work, with a new language that will make it so much easier to address out in the open and create teachable moments. As a little person, I have experienced so many subtle acts of exclusion over my career, whether it's people telling me I look ‘cute' or having to constantly fight for respect and validity. I wish every one of my colleagues over the years had been able to read this book!”
-Becky Curran Kekula, Director, Disability Equality Index, Disability:IN