Subtle Acts of Exclusion, Second Edition: How to Understand, Identify, and Stop Microaggressions

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.

Dr. Tiffany Jana (they/them) is the CEO of TMI’s Portfolio, a collection of companies working to advance inclusive workplaces. TMI Consulting, a TMI Portfolio company founded by Dr. Jana, was named a Best for the World B Corporation in 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021. Dr. Jana was awarded the B Corp community’s highest honor, the Tal Haussig Award, in 2020. They are also the coauthor of Overcoming Bias. Erasing Institutional Bias, and the second edition of the B Corp Handbook.

Dr. Michael Baran (he/him) is a social scientist and CEO of Iris Inclusion, a DEI consulting firm. He holds a PhD in cultural anthropology and has been researching, teaching, and practicing around issues related to diversity for over twenty years. His digital tools have been exhibited in museums and earned awards such as Top 100 Innovations in Global Education from the Finland-based group HundrEd.