The Program in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
In this second year of the Alice Paul Center’s “Story Corps” project, we are reimagining open expression, inclusion and argument. In today’s volatile climate, free speech and safe space are often imagined as mutually exclusive—as rigid and reactive binaries. What happens to our world and our willingness to engage it if we work from the premise that public engagement is by definition neither truly free nor truly safe? We believe this premise can open up possibilities for new ways of imagining what it means to engage in open expression, to practice inclusion, and to disagree.
In honor of Women’s History Month and QPenn, we’re asking that you share a story about a moment, space, or person that exemplifies new ways of blurring the categories free speech and safe space. How did this experience inspire you, support you, teach you, or challenge you? Not an experience you’ve had? Then we ask you to share your vision, advice, or strategies for creating spaces and practices for inclusive, open expression and disagreement.
“Rethinking Free Speech & Safe Space” submissions can take the form of short essays, poetry, drawings, videos, podcasts, or other creative media. A selection of submissions will be featured on the APC-GSWS website during Women’s History Month, March 2019. Submissions need not be from women identified people to be featured on our website. For more information and to submit your story
We welcome and encourage submissions from the entire Penn community.
