Catrin Nye: The Definition Of Safe Space

In Text 1 Catrin Nye defines what the term safe space implies, “A safe space is an accessible environment in which every student feels comfortable, and can get involved free from intimidation or judgment.” (Text 1 ll. 21-25) If this definition is believed to be correct, then a university safe space must be somehow similar, perhaps consisting of being able to easily find an environment in which one feels relaxed and comfortable. This could be among a group of friends, or a certain gathering consisting of people with shared values, which also means that some ideas and thoughts might not be welcome. Having such safe spaces will result a mixed set of consequences. On the one hand, it obviously gives the students the possibility to have fun while
not having to be concerned about conflicts, therefore enabling them to rest from controversy whenever they feel like. This point is also seen in Text 3 where a Jew student tells about the importance of the safe space, for her in shape of the Hillel house. On the other hand, creating and maintaining these safe spaces might be a big con. As Brendan O’Neill says in Text 1, preventing debate regarding certain issues in some public arrangements, might work as a sort of censorship and could prevent specific thoughts and insight. Rayhan Uddin, however, sees it oppositely as he thinks that the safe spaces allow the repressed voices to speak. A different problem concerning the safe spaces, is to determine what violates the safe space. An example of this can be found in Text 2, among a student council at Edinburgh University, where a student was warned of breaching the safe space rules by simply shaking her head and raising her arm.