"College students don't need trigger warnings."
"Safe spaces are just for whiny students."
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"Everyone is just too politically correct these days."
"It's your fault if you're offended."
"We can't cater to everyone's personal whims about what makes them offended."
"The point of college is to make you uncomfortable."
All of the above statements represent just a small sample of what I have heard on the campus of Emory & Henry College from students, staff and faculty concerning the use of safe spaces, trigger warnings and respect (also commonly referred to as "political correctness").
One common misconception is that having respectful dialogue or creating and cultivating safe spaces is akin to coddling students or ensuring that no one is ever offended in any class discussion. However, there is a distinctive difference between not engaging in racism, sexism, ableism, classism, heterosexism or cissexism and having thoughtful and difficult discussions on controversial topics. Many have stated that safe spaces are a way to protect all students from hearing offensive words or topics; however, all a "safe space" refers to is a setting in which everyone is afforded equal kindness, compassion and empathy, and a place where their experiences are validated.
Another idea that people often repeat is that in "the real world," people will not try to create safe spaces or that people will not care if you are offended. First, college is the real world — especially for those of us who are paying for it completely on our own and who are working a job or two in addition to studying. Second, non-discrimination laws and anti-sexual harassment laws do exist in "the real world."
So many times I have heard that our generation is too politically correct and is simply never exposed to offensive statements, videos or texts. However, this could not be further from the truth. In college, we as students are shown a variety of provocative things inside and outside of classroom setting(s) in addition to being exposed to offensive statements from a variety of students, administrators and professors alike.
There is a radical difference in reading something provocative or challenging to your beliefs in a book or in a classroom setting and having students, faculty, staff or community members be downright rude or insensitive to your identity or lived experiences. Building safe spaces and prefacing triggering content with warnings are just two ways in which fellow students and professors can assist college students in getting the most out of their four-year journey.
