“so-called ‘trigger warning:’” this piece discusses sexual violence

Dear Class of 2020 Student: Welcome and congratulations on your acceptance to the College at the University of Chicago. Earning a place in our community of scholars is no small achievement and we are delighted that you selected Chicago to continue your intellectual journey. Once here you will discover that one of the University of Chicago’s defining characteristics is our commitment to freedom of inquiry and expression.

It is a fine spring day, and with an utter lack of self-consciousness, I take a seat in class. The professor prods the projector as he mumbles about looking at a piece outside the assigned reading by feminist philosopher Sandra Bartky. Instantly I catch my friend’s eager eyes dart my way, these were the conversations we came to the University of Chicago to be a part of.

Our commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so-called “trigger warnings”

The words on the screen flicker into view: “It is a fine spring day, and with an utter lack of self-consciousness, I am bouncing down the street. Suddenly, I hear men’s voices. Catcalls and whistles fill the air. These noises are clearly sexual in intent and the-” I hear a man’s voice yell from the hall. Wait, did I? Focus.

You will find that we expect members of our community to be engaged in rigorous debate, discussion, and even disagreement. At times this may challenge you and even cause discomfort.

You have so much you want to share about this I remind myself. F.O.C.U.S. Sandra Bartky’s work On Psychological Oppression. I continue reading the text on the screen “The body which only a moment before I inhabited with such ease now floods my consciousness. I have been made into an object—” I feel stiff. My vision begins to darken around the edges, closing in.  Then the professor’s voice: “Do you remember any personal experiences with harassment that could inform Bartky’s view?” closing in. Do you remember any personal experiences – closing in. Do you remember – closed.

Fostering the free exchange of ideas reinforces a related University priority—building a campus that welcomes people of all backgrounds. Diversity of opinion and background is a fundamental strength of our community. The members of our community must have the freedom to espouse and explore a wide range of ideas.

I remember all of it. The feeling of calloused hands along my thigh in that subway car, the smell of warm breath drenched in alcohol and threats licking the back of my neck, the sight of cracks spreading from a fist on the window of the corner store I ran to, the sound of – students gathering their things and filing out. 80 minutes – gone?

Wait. If I had known what was coming my way, I could have been prepared.

Wait! I had so much to say, but I was rendered silent!

Wait, I have been made into an object, Sandra Bartky.

Wait…so-called “academic freedom,” University of Chicago.

Again, welcome to the University of Chicago.

Process Notes:

In this writing assignment I utilized the welcome letter sent out to the class of 2020 at our university. I remember this being a particularly impactful message at the time and as I am about to post my work I see that it still is given that Helena in fact chose the same document to hack into. I selected certain passages from the letter in my assignment that inform a narrative of a student experiencing an inability to participate in the university’s proposed “freedom to espouse and explore a wide range of ideas” due to the absence of a trigger warning, which this letter deems to be limiting to academic freedom. I aimed to show how an experience such as this, which is largely based on a personal experience of my own, can display how this letter claiming to support the freedom for all to share their voices may in fact be doing the opposite and silencing some with its demands. In my opinion, a trigger warning is not a limit on freedom it is merely representative of taking a moment to make sure freedom of expression is possible for all. I also utilized a work from my gender philosophy class throughout this piece to show how when important academic conversations are finally presented about oppression for instance, if they are not addressed in the appropriate way then they can further the same oppression being discussed by silencing those directly affected. Lastly, having been inspired by Layli Long Soldier’s Whereas, I wanted to conclude the piece by reutilizing the word “so-called,” which was used in the letter to question trigger warnings, by turning it on its head and questioning the “academic freedom” this letter claims to support.