Microagressions in Citizen

Claudia Rankine's treatment of microagressions is one of the most important aspects of Citizen. They are not something that often is brought up because they seem so small in comparison to some of the more visible examples of racism. However, microagressions are still a problem in the lives of black Americans. Rankine highlights the problem of how microagressions become part of the fabric of everyday life for black people and constantly beat them down. It hurts the person to have your identity constantly insulted, even in the insults are not even understood. Most microagressions are not intentional, it's just part of how black people are treated in America. Rankine suggests that white people in this country need to be more conscious of their language. Through art such as Citizen, a more nuanced conversation can be had in the country.