Although microaggressions can be subtle, their effects are real. Research published in thefrom 2015 of 405 young adults of color found that experiencing microaggressions increased incidence of depression and suicidal ideation.
Bryan Pietsch, an editorial fellow at Business Insider who's Korean-American, got on the subway in Brooklyn Thursday morning. As soon as he boarded, a middle-aged woman covered her mouth, glared at him, and then moved away. Emily Park, an animation fellow at Business Insider who's Korean-American, was on the subway in Manhattan on Monday when she cleared her throat. A woman stared at her for several moments and then promptly got up and moved seats farther away.
Alana Yzola, a senior producer at Business Insider, said she was recently in an Uber driving through Flushing, when her driver locked the doors and said "there are a lot of Chinese here, you have to be careful," apparently referring to catching the coronavirus, which they had been discussing. Uber is investigating the incident.