Have you ever felt targeted? Has someone ever treated you differently because of your skin color, gender, sexuality, or appearance?
The University of New Haven facilities train their staff to maintain open minds and provide communication and accommodations to all students. But how effective is this training?
According to Jessica Scibek, the director of campus recreation, “The Beckerman Recreation Center and ChargerREC staff are committed to helping to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of all individuals who visit the Beckerman Center and those who participate in ChargerREC programming.”
On Feb. 19, Holly Dvorak, a transgender graduate student studying forensic biology, decided to exercise at the Beckerman Recreation Center. She attended the facility with me, her girlfriend, and two other friends.
It was a spur-of-the-moment decision and Dvorak did not have proper sneakers on campus. She wore Zavala Doc Martens, which have flat soles rather than platforms for activities such as skateboarding. Out of respect for the university’s facilities, Dvorak avoided using any of the machines and opted to run on the track instead.
Not even two minutes into her run, a staff member stopped her to say she was not allowed in the facility in her Doc Martens. Dvorak was not given any accommodations, such as being sent to a different part of the gym where her shoes wouldn’t be a problem.
One of Dvorak’s friends, Vanessa Howard, later asked a staff member about the shoe policy. She was told that there was a “closed-toed” policy, with no platforms.
Still respecting the building’s policies, Dvorak was told by her entourage that she could join them in the Functional Fitness area without shoes. Another group was also in the area, and also without shoes.
The staff member who had stopped Dvorak earlier followed them, though a different worker confronted Dvorak.
Scibek said that “Beckerman Center staff regularly walk throughout the facility to assist members, ensure policy compliance, and identify potential hazards. Their presence helps maintain a safe environment by addressing safety concerns promptly and providing support as needed.”
However, none of the staff addressed any of the other students without shoes and instead, only Dvorak was reprimanded. While the argument could be made that her specific shoes were inappropriate, she was singled out among a group of people, all of whom appeared to be breaking the same policy.
Why was Dvorak chastised among everyone else? While it’s difficult to consider, it is important to ask whether Dvorak’s experience was a result of bias because of her gender identity. Dvorak said she felt as if it was.
“I am never returning to this establishment,” she said later.
While the situation was tense, the principle is important. All university staff and students should work to approach one another with respect and proper communication. No student should ever feel excluded from a campus resource, especially on the basis of bias or prejudice.
Let the university work to eliminate any potential bias – or even the appearance of it – or misunderstanding where a student is left feeling excluded like this.
