“You’re So Sensitive”: Understanding Everyday Microaggressions, Implicit Bias, and Best Practices with Billie Lee & Dr. Gina Torino

Self-Helpless

Cloud10

Comedy, Science, Alternative Health, Health & Fitness, Education

4.8 • 3K Ratings

🗓️ 1 September 2025

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Delanie Fischer is joined by Billie Lee—comedian, activist, and the first openly transgender cast member on BravoTV’s Vanderpump Rules—and Dr. Gina Torino, psychologist and microaggression expert, to share insights from their book, Why Are You So Sensitive?: Navigating Everyday, Unintended Microaggressions. They discuss why microaggressions aren’t “micro” at all, the devastating impact they can have on wellbeing, livelihood, and safety, how to raise our own awareness to become better allies, and practical tips for handling unintended microaggressions with grace—whether you’re the receiver, the giver, or a bystander. This conversation is judgment-free, we’ve all committed and experienced microaggressions, whether we realize it or not.

Plus:

+ The #1 Thing to Do Before Taking Action on Someone’s Behalf

+ Assumptions We Make Based on Gender, Age, Race, and More

+ 3 Common Microaggressions Disguised as Compliments

Why Are You So Sensitive?: Navigating Everyday, Unintended Microaggressions: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Why-Are-You-So-Sensitive/Billie-Lee/9781524873493

Self-Helpless on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/selfhelpless

Your Host, Delanie Fischer: https://www.delaniefischer.com

EPISODES RELATED TO THIS TOPIC:

Cultural Appropriation vs. Cultural Appreciation with Trevia Woods: https://www.delaniefischer.com/selfhelplesspodcast/episode/2505c934/cultural-appropriation-vs-cultural-appreciation-with-trevia-woods

Spiritual Activism with Racial Justice Educator, Rachel Ricketts: https://www.delaniefischer.com/selfhelplesspodcast/episode/255a24cd/spiritual-activism-with-racial-justice-educator-rachel-ricketts

Cancel Culture vs. Accountability with Sonya Renee Taylor: https://www.delaniefischer.com/selfhelplesspodcast/episode/38432784/cancel-culture-vs-accountability-with-sonya-renee-taylor

The Body Positivity Movement: What’s Working vs. What’s Not? with Jessamyn Stanley: https://www.delaniefischer.com/selfhelplesspodcast/episode/e814d362/the-body-positivity-movement-whats-working-vs-whats-not-with-jessamyn-stanley

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Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm no good. I take in good advice and I'm self-careless. So don't tell me twice that lately I've been so stuck in my head that I forget just about everything my therapist said. Maybe I'm self-helpless.
0:21.1	Hey everyone, welcome to self-helpless.
0:23.0	I'm Delaney Fisher.
0:23.9	And today I'm chatting with Billy Lee and Dr. Gina Turino about insights from their book.
0:28.7	The book is called Why Are You So Sensitive, Navigresions?
0:31.0	And Billy Lee is a comedian, activist, and you may know her from the TV show Vanderpump Rules.
0:39.6	She was the first openly transgender cast member on the show, and she is sharing about her personal experience being on the receiving and the giving end of microaggressions.
0:50.0	And Dr. Gina Torino is a psychologist and microaggression expert who is offering information about
0:56.6	why microaggressions happen and the impact that they have, the very significant impact that
1:03.3	they have on people.
1:04.6	So we are talking about unintended microaggressions.
1:07.3	We're not talking about people who are purposely trying to harm others. We're talking
1:11.8	about the things that are often, you know, disguises, compliments, comments that are based on
1:18.6	assumptions about somebody's age or gender or ethnicity. So this episode today is all about
1:25.3	raising awareness around this topic. So we can not only spot these and prevent them, but also handle microaggressions with grace, whether we are the giver, receiver, or a bystander. And I just want to say, don't let the word micro fool you hear.
1:41.9	Microaggressions impact people's well-being, livelihood, and safety in a major
1:46.3	way. And unfortunately, we have all received these and we have all given them. So this conversation
1:53.3	is very relevant for everyone, whether we realize it or not. So of course, this chat we're
1:58.8	having today is judgment-free. We really have to
2:02.3	remove our defenses around this topic if we actually want to have respectful dialogue about it and
2:09.6	hear and understand each other and create real change. A really important piece of this episode
2:15.7	is the part about intention versus impact.
	...

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