Handle With Care

“There have always been a
number of girls in leadership
positions for these clubs, which
face whatever comes my way.”
Lindsey Wang ’23,
Debate Eboard Member
in Debate
Eboard...
50% 50%
of members
of members
are male
are female
often perceived as more important. In
dards
and forms of misogyny, L. Wang
believes that equitable representation
among student leaders is vital.
“There have always been a number
of girls in leadership positions for these
clubs, which empowered me to know I
shouldn’t be afraid to speak out or face
whatever comes my way,” L. Wang said.
L. Wang feels that the misogyny she
faces in competitions is not present
in the Stevenson club environment,
which she attributes to the club sponsors’
commitments to creating equitable
environments for competitions. Debate
coach Stephen Heller believes in coaching
his students to be conscientious and
respectful competitors.
“We foster inclusivity by focusing on
debate as a conversation rather than a
competition,” Heller said. “This manifests
itself in a number of ways, including:
speaking respectfully to all members
during a debate session; teaching
where all debaters are treated equally.”
Given Heller’s emphasis on equity,
cers—the
competitor elected to run the
chamber—to reduce their personal bias
by calling on speakers randomly during
a competition. To further strengthen
inclusivity and support within the
preparation sessions before tournaments
in the ILC or at local restaurants.
environment of these clubs, L. Wang
advocates for greater discussion about
members’ experiences with misogyny,
especially due to implicit biases. L.
Wang reiterates that encouraging all
people to share their experiences with
any forms of discrimination is key to
building inclusive communities.
“I think it starts with making it
known that policies are in place that
prohibit discrimination or any sort of
misogyny so people feel comfortable
calling acts of discrimination out,” L.
Wang said. “There are a lot of girls who
aren’t afraid to speak out about their
thoughts; they have an active voice that
empowers others to speak out.”
Photo Credit: Lindsey Wang
Debate members gather in the 7100s and listen to
announcements from the Executive Board. Members prepare
for monthly tournaments by participating in delivery activities
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