Essay On Safe Space

There are events in life that can be unpleasant to a person, and, when faced with similar situations, emotional consequences could come into place creating distress or anxiety within the individual. These situations are often known as “triggers”. Young adults are typically the most affected by this as they are in the process of changing and discovering new things in life. Colleges have taken this into account, and, in an attempt to protect students from distress, some are advocating for “trigger warnings.” Such warnings would require that students be informed when material that can be offensive or distressing will be presented. In addition, some are also calling for the creation of “safe spaces” which would offer students an escape from discomfort. Although trigger warnings can be beneficial for students, since they’ll have the opportunity to decide if they are ready to see material that could be distressing, safe spaces …show more content…
In essence, the creation of safe spaces would obstruct colleges from encouraging students to be creative and thoughtful. As Adam Saphiro notes “[there is no way to] have a therapeutic space that’s also an intellectual space”. Saphiros point holds much validity, safe spaces would obstruct the intellect of students and professors, not allowing to fully express themselves in fear of hurting someone’s feelings. Furthermore, safe spaces suggest that campuses are not safe for students. According to Judith Shulevitz, “once you designate some spaces as safe, you imply that the rest are unsafe”. Shulevitz argument adds to the notion that safe spaces are not there to protect students but rather to increase their fears. As a result, safe spaces only serve to hinder students from overcoming their