{"id":9624,"date":"2026-05-29T10:46:23","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T10:46:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diversitynews.eu\/29\/05\/2026\/what-do-you-mean-how-a-french-verbal-self-defense-program-teaches-people-to-respond-to-microaggressions\/"},"modified":"2026-06-09T06:58:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T06:58:59","slug":"what-do-you-mean-how-a-french-verbal-self-defense-program-teaches-people-to-respond-to-microaggressions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diversitynews.eu\/en\/29\/05\/2026\/what-do-you-mean-how-a-french-verbal-self-defense-program-teaches-people-to-respond-to-microaggressions\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cWhat Do You Mean?\u201d: How a French Verbal Self-Defense Program Teaches People to Respond to Microaggressions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Most people have experienced that moment when the perfect response comes to mind\u2026 ten minutes too late. It is precisely this common experience that inspired Mich\u00e8le Ruffault to create \u201cMuscle ta r\u00e9ponsee\u201d (\u201cStrengthen Your Response\u201d)<\/strong>, a verbal self-defense program designed to help people regain control when faced with sexist remarks, stereotypes, and microaggressive behavior. <\/h1>\n\n

The idea emerged from personal experience. As Ruffault explains, a disturbing dream brought her back to situations she had repeatedly encountered while working as a consultant: during professional meetings, male colleagues were routinely given the floor and attention, while her own expertise was often overlooked. <\/p>\n\n

Searching for answers, she began speaking with other women and quickly noticed a recurring pattern. Many carried the emotional weight of difficult experiences\u2014not necessarily because of the severity of what happened, but because they had been unable to react in the moment. <\/p>\n\n

Why Do We Freeze When Faced with Microaggressions?<\/h2>\n\n

Being unable to respond immediately is far more common than many people realize.<\/p>\n\n

Anger, embarrassment, surprise, or shock can temporarily block our ability to react. At the same time, silence from those around us often reinforces this paralysis: when no one else responds, speaking up can feel even more difficult. <\/p>\n\n

This exact moment of emotional \u201cfreezing\u201d is what the program seeks to address by providing participants with practical response tools.<\/p>\n\n

Eight Strategies for Verbal Self-Defense<\/h2>\n\n

\u201cMuscle ta r\u00e9ponsee\u201d does not promote one perfect response. Instead, participants are trained to use different strategies depending on the situation. <\/p>\n\n

These techniques include:<\/p>\n\n