Rebekah Boyer asked if we would post this to our website.
Protecting Persons, Not Positions by Rebekah Boyer
My name is Bekah Boyer – What I have to say below is my ownopinion and has nothing to do with any institutions or people with whom I maybe affiliated. I apologize for any triggersin this article, but I need a forum to speak.
I was never a “great” debater; my butt was constantlywhooped by those who worked harder than I did. Coincidently, that self-samebutt was apparently more interesting to some people in the community than myidentity. I was harassed, insulted, and demeaned by members of my own team andothers. Sometimes things were as trivial as “go make me a sandwich,” most ofthe time though, things were escalated to a demand for oral sex as a price fora card that the boys were already sharing. Troubled, alone, and not knowingwhat to do – I spun into a depression. Iwasn’t a lone wolf; I just had no one in which to confide. Thankfully, an adultin the community noticed that I wasn’t doing well. She kept me from quitting debate and/or doinganything drastically permanent for a fleeting feeling.
I got help. The kicker is I had to tell an adult first.
As adults in the community, we have a responsibility aseducators and as chaperones, ethically and legally, to support these kids. Thequestion is: does this mean I have to vote on it?
No. It does not.
I had the pleasure of judging two very talented debaters atthe Harvard bid round last year, during which a personal narrative was read inthe AC. The ballot story indicated that I must vote for the debater who readthe narrative so she could advance and “spread the message.”
I sat. I voted her down for a simple reason: she lost on theflow –the other debater had decisively won a conceded, weighed argument againstthe nature of her performance while she was busy discussing what had happenedto her.
After the round, I approached her - I came out to her as asurvivor of domestic and sexual abuse. I thanked her for sharing her story,asked her if she needed access to resources for survivors, and begged her towarn those watching next time. I proceeded to have my panic attack in private,and subsequently went to prep out one of the debaters for whom I wasresponsible who was about to hit her in the next round.
Does my decision render me a foe to the solidarity of themovement? Absolutely not: I am a vehement advocate for survivors’ rights, bothas president of the feminist organization on my campus and as a personaladvocate and open “safe space.”
Space is a critical contributor to agency: aphenomenological approach would dictate that I evaluate lived experience, andas such, I must pay attention to where that lived experience has occurred. Adebate round is not a forum for crucifixion. If you are a survivor your storyis important... especially to professionals. I have seen many men and women,cis and trans, walk through the doors of “my” women’s center, seeking help. Iam not trying to say that everyone must decide to prosecute, that is a personaldecision left to those affected. During instances in which someone’s autonomywas so vilely infringed on, it is vitally important that all possible avenuesare open to them.
If you decide thatreading your story in a debate round is crucial to your healing process, it isimportant to remember three things:
1) This is not the time for specificity. I may be ajudge, but without a funny wig and a gavel, I am powerless. Reading a narrative of anunprosecuted crime is very different than reading a narrative about living lifein prison, for example. Most livedexperiences, when witnessed, do not immediately implicate the viewer to a courtof law. In being specific, you have made your opponent, judge, and audiencewitnesses: If they do not take action, they could be held legally complicit orin contempt of the court. If you truly want to punish the accused, there arebetter avenues to do so.
2) For the love of all kittens, please disclose thenature of the case to the judge and to your opponent and to the audience beforethe case is read. With 1 in 4 adolescent women and 1 in 10 adolescent menaffected by sexual violence, you can’t “hedge your bets” with who is in theroom. I was only able to handle the round at Harvard because I had my medicinewith me.
3) Instead of asking for a ballot, which could makesome inferentially doubt your sincerity, donate your speech time to the“cause.” Silence, when speech is expected, is often more powerful than anythingelse. Moreover, should you choose to ask for the ballot, clearly articulate whythe opponent ought to lose the round or why you must be voted up.
If you hit one of these nuanced narratives what should youdo? Firstly, do not pivot your attack around a victim-blaming mentality: it isnot your job to cast aspersions on either of the characters mentioned. (Thisissue is entirely avoided if the person running the case avoids specificity.)We may indict authors, researchers, and philosophers but they are speaking to auniversal or etic experience; in narratives, it is all about perspective, whichcannot be “wrong” since they are not necessarily objective facts. What youSHOULD do is question the technicality within the case: articulate problemswith the internal warrants of the ballot story. If they do not read a ballotstory, the best thing to do is merely to point that out, thank them for sharingtheir story, and move on to your case.
Though I support and understand the educational value ofmicro political cases, I strongly urge people not to run micro politicalpositions that speak on a personal, unprosecuted crime -especially in front ofme --- I will write to the guidance counselors and principals of your schoolsand I suggest that other adults do the same. We have too much groupthink indebate: we cannot let someone who is suffering fall to the wayside merelybecause of a bystander effect. As adults we must take responsibility and notifythe authorities. Though an event may have occurred in debate, we must keep inmind that we are not a sovereign nation; there is a “debate world” and a “realworld” and the two are inextricably linked together. So though a round may not be the ideal forumfor this issue, it is an issue that the debate community must address – buthow?
1) Coaches can work closely with their school’sguidance counselors. Debaters are smart kids; smart kids are generally morevulnerable. We have to remember that these young adults look up to adults morethan even a narcissistic coach would expect. Treat your debaters as humanbeings, not as trophy-cases. They have real life problems and unless you aretrained to handle that, you need to work with someone who has the training.
2) Tournaments hosted at schools can, at minimum,have cards detailing local resources for confidential and legal reporting ofassault/harassment available in the registration packet. At best, they canencourage their guidance counselor or a representative of an assistingorganization to be available at the tournament so that immediate action can betaken.
3) Camps, in addition to having a licensedcounselor on staff, can create anonymous exit surveys for attendees to reportinstances in which they were threatened or felt unsafe. Again, localand national resources should be attached to these.
4) Judges, after hearing a case, should figure outif another adult knows what has happened. They can then take steps to ensure that the right people know what todo. There is no confidentiality clause in debate; in fact, most rounds areexplicitly open to the public. Protect yourself and the kids you have judged byreporting.
The next step is to encourage yourcoaches, judges, schools, and opponents to follow these measures or any othersthat may come up in the dialogue surrounding this issue. We need to heal as acommunity as well.
If you, or someone you know, is avictim of sexual or gender-based violence, please tell someone who has theability to help you. You are not alone. Here are some resources at your disposal:
Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network - http://www.rainn.org/get-help/national-sexual-assault-hotlineor call 1800656HOPE
To seek multidisciplinary training on thisissue: SATI - http://www.mysati.com/
Or select a local center: http://centers.rainn.org/
Your local Planned Parenthood and your computerbrowser are always good places to start!
I am happy to answer any questionsabout this article. You can reach me at rlboyer@smu.edu; please indicate that this is what you are writing about in the subject line.