TheQuartering [7/3/2023]
The University of Cincinnati has taken action against a professor who failed a student for referring to non-trans female athletes as “biological women.”
Adjunct professor Melanie Nipper will now have to complete a free speech training course after giving student Olivia Krolczyk a grade of 0 out of a possible 20 on her final project in her Women’s Gender Studies in Pop Culture class. Nipper felt that Krolczyk using the term “biological women” was offensive when Krolczyk was referring to changes that have occurred throughout the history of women’s sports.
When Krolczyk got to the modern era, she brought up the discussion and debate over trans-athletes competing in sports against those whose sex was different than what they were born with. Her usage of “biological women” was deemed “exclusionary” by Kipper who also wrote that terms like that were “not allowed in this course as they further reinforce heteronormativity.”
What shocked Krolczyk the most was that professor Kipper literally wrote that she did a great job on the paper, which led the confused student to take to TikTok to voice her frustration.
“I used the term ‘biological women,’ which apparently is not allowed anymore,” Krolczyk began. “How am I supposed to do my final project when I can’t use the term biological women… when that is what my project is about?” the sophomore chemistry major asked.
In a response to Cincinnati’s disciplinary actions, Kipper defended her grading by saying that what Krolczyk wrote was ‘harmful,’ and she “felt it was necessary to educate her regarding inclusive language to ensure a safe learning environment for other students in the course discussion boards.”
In addition to her free speech training, the University said that Kipper’s reprimand will be included in her permanent teaching record. For her part, Krolczyk had repeatedly said that she didn’t want her teacher to get fired, but was moreso upset over Kipper punishing a student for having a disagreement with them.
In a recent appearance on OutKick’s Dan Dakich Show, Krolczyk said that this wasn’t the first time she and her professor have had disagreements.
“I said it was unfair to generalize and say that all white men are privileged and then she docked grade and said that pretty much that’s not true,” Krolczyk said.