People who call out microaggressions are not complaining nor are they being too sensitive. If anything, they are being brave. To call out people who are a part of the society that has systematically oppressed minorities is commendable and should set an example for those around you. There is inherently a fear of repercussions when calling people out especially when you do not know how people are going to react. The barriers to combatting microaggressions are numerous. One, if you’re the only one combatting them in your environment, how are you going to feel anything but alone? Two, anyone who challenges the norm in a way that is not innovative is usually seen as an issue rather than someone who is trying to make people see their mistakes. When in history has fate smiled on the dissenter? People do not combat microaggressions for just themselves; it is an attempt to overhaul a system that needs to be changed.
Engineering has long been a field dominated by white men. This means that any time someone different enters this space those who see a white space as the normal, will probably get defensive. “Microaggressions are verbal, behavioral, or environmental actions (whether intentional or unintentional) that communicate hostility toward oppressed or targeted groups including people of color, women, LGBTQ persons, persons with disabilities, and religious minorities” (Illinois Women in Engineering). What separates microaggressions from say blatant racism is “subtlety”. So, think hostility but make it passive aggressive. The thing about microaggressions as well is that people do not always realize that what they say is hostile (even if it is just a little). However, even little bits of oppression add up to the point that those on the receiving end may feel unsafe and unwelcome in their environment. Not to be prejudiced towards white men but they are kind of the source of our problems. This does not mean that anyone should inherently be hostile towards this group, but it definitely results in mistrust due to generations and generations of abuse.
The other thing with Engineering in general is that it has not always been portrayed as a field available to anyone who wants to solve problems and improve the world. Engineers are responsible in part for environmental racism (such as building a dump near lower socioeconomic neighborhoods, which often are majority non-white groups) or safety failures such as the Ford Pinto where the company (employing many engineers who worked in safety or design) decided that it was easier to pay settlements than to issue a recall and fix the vehicles. There is a divide in how minority groups view engineering because often people do not see how engineering would relate to their lives and communities.
Ways to combat microaggressions (and my source):