Unpopular opinion: That "safe space" table in the student union is doing more harm than good

Last Tuesday I sat down at a table near the big comfy couches by the east window to eat my lunch. This girl I've seen around came up and asked if I could move because it was a "low judgment zone" for people who felt overwhelmed. I told her I wasn't judging anyone, just eating my sandwich. She said my presence alone could make people uncomfortable if I didn't know the rules. I ended up leaving because I didn't want to argue, but it felt like I was being pushed out of a public space for no real reason. Has anyone else run into this kind of thing?

2 comments

2 Comments

grant.jason14d ago

@matthewh28 I mean that table was literally created for students with anxiety disorders.

matthewh2814d ago

That table has been there since last fall semester. I remember walking past it in October and this one guy was literally shushing people who walked too close. The whole point of the student union is to be a place where everyone can hang out. Creating a special table with extra rules just ends up making it feel like some people have more right to be there than others. It backfires because now everyone who walks near it is probably more anxious wondering if they're breaking some invisible rule.