These days I'm writing about safe space, voice, and transformation.
Its amazing just how little academic information there is out there about safe space.
No one wants to define it. No one knows how. The term is tossed around carelessly. Its overused in the classroom -feminist academics and those of us in women's studies are sure to have heard it as professors set the "ground rules" for class discussions.
But what, really is it?
What makes a space "safe" for you?
I would argue that a "safe space" is not always the right term - but I can't redefine it right now.
There is the space around me - my physical space, that I long for to be safe - always. Safe from violence, oppression, discrimination, harassment, sexism, misogny, racism, classism, etc. My physical space kept safe so that I don't worry about getting beaten or harassed, grope, fondled, leered at.
And then there is my safe space where I am free from verbal and emotional sexism. Free to speak my voice and say what I think without being jeered at or criticized.
But - that's not always safe. Nor should it be.
To speak freely - truly freely, and to encourage discussion - there has to be some form of risk involved. I take a risk in speaking something with absolute freedom - a risk in being criticized, in being debated, discussed, commented, and a risk in being truly, really listened to. In telling someone something from the heart, that involves risk.
Does that make it not safe?
What does safe space mean for you?