One can easily unintentionally offend others!
Even the ones most ready to remind others to stop being offensive can easily unintentionally offend others!
For example, there is a movement on college campuses and on social media to raise awareness about "microaggressions", which has been usually referred to as irritating someone with stereotypical questions or assumptions.
But, the term "microaggression" can easily be taken the wrong way.
There is a reason why people in Hawaii (and other Pacific Islands) would hesitate to use the term "microagressions"
That's because out in the Pacific, the word "micro" is a racially loaded word used to refer to Micronesians, a group of Pacific Islanders who have ancestral ties to islands in the western Pacific Islands (ie. Guam, Northern Marianas, Palau, Marshall Islands, Chuuk, Pohnpei (Ponape), Kosrae, Yap, Nauru, Kiribati, and more).
Many of those Micronesian islands were (and some still are) US territories with low economic opportunity. Many from those islands come to Hawaii for economic opportunity and face culture shock and racist discrimination.
(Learn more at http://www.civilbeat.com/2015/10/an-untold-story-of-american-immigration/)
One of the commonly used racial slurs is "micro", which like other racial slurs, can be used by the people of that group (ie. "I'm a micro", "I'm a n-----a", "I'm a haole") but is also commonly used as racist attacks (ie. "f'----n micro", " you f------ haole", "those n-----rs")!
The thing with racial words is that ears perk up when they are heard!
I mean we all know all conversation come to a screeching halt if some non-black person in (for example) Atlanta uses the N-word!
The same would happen if someone in Hawaii uses any word with the word "micro".
Even innocent words like "microwaves" have been use to insult Micronesians!
Which is why there is NO movement to "raise awareness about microaggressions" at the University of Hawaii campuses. Because that word "microaggressions" would obviously sound stigmatizing towards the Micronesian population.
Being that I'm in Hawaii, and much of my facebook has Hawaii ties, even I hesitate to post any article with the title "microaggression" or to even type the word "microaggression" in the posts because people WILL take that word in the wrong way!
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So I strongly suggest to racial activists everywhere to STOP using the term "microaggression"
Just use terms like "stupid questions", "racial irritations" or "racial assumptions" in case you want to refer to situations where someone irritate you with questions and assumptions based on racial/gender/etc stereotypes!
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Also, while some questions are insulting (ie. "where are you REALLY from"), I don't think every question should take be taken personally. I'm NOT offended if someone asks me a question about a Mexican cultural aspect that I don't have much personal experience with! Sometimes, a question is just a question!
