The million other straws.
Umbrella term coined and formalised in social studies; "the little things" of living in a socially marginalised group (think women/LGBT/not
white). Comparatively small personal offenses that, over a long
period, erode their way into a general climate of (at best) discomfort and (at worst, in particularly violent forms) distrust and fear. This ends one of two ways: either the
camel's back breaks, and the affected
party snaps at someone -- and, typically, never lives it down, as "that
PC guy" everyone hates -- or they progressively withdraw from social interaction, into either self-segregation or complete loneliness. (See "safe space." Or, actually,
don't.)
That no
single particular event can be pointed at makes the matter particularly hard to understand from a mainstream (i.e.
white) perspective, particularly one coddled throughout its lifetime into ascribing quasi-magical attributes to the all-encompassing power of their own intent. Such that
even bringing up the subject usually ends with some white guy, who couldn't take half a mayonnaise joke, lecturing you on how much better and more thick-skinned he is than you. (He isn't.) This happens consistently enough that "safe spaces" eventually arose, as the affected parties just stopped bothering. (And now he complains about those.)
If you understand "the last straw," you understand microaggressions.
A: "Hur hur, you're a
terrorist."
B: "Hur hur, you're a
terrorist."
C: "Hur hur, you're a
terrorist."
X: "You're not original."
A, B, C (in unison): "You're offended, you oversensitive terrorist!"
(later)
A: "Why do they keep segregating themselves?"
B: "Their sheltered little minds can't handle our original opinions, obviously."
X: "Mayonnaise."
A, B (in unison): "How DARE you?!"
