Empower Debate

We’re dedicated to empowering those in speech and debate who have been discriminated against, and allowing those individuals to anonymously share their stories.

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

So everyone is aware, this account has 4 admin. One (me) is the admin from @DebaterProblems who started the thread. Two are women, with one woc, and one is non-binary. When creating the account, I wanted the admins to reflect the diversity of the community as much as possible.

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

Finally, was once again yelled over in cross-x and treated like I knew absolutely nothing. But that’s normal. Happy debate!

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

Admin here. Some stories from this weekend. I was the only girl in the first 3 or 4 rounds, so that was good. Caught opponents/ judges giving me the stare (you know the one). 100% made me uncomfortable (thread)

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

After round one, our opponents saw some teammates in the hall (also a male on male team) and were having one of the most toxic and masculine conversations I’ve ever heard. Every laugh felt like I was being stabbed

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

A story from our DMs

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

I once went into a round with my parter and I and was asked “oh, what team are you spectating?” at NSDA qualifiers, and the boys just laughed in our faces and turned to my parter to ask if she “was trans since she had no boobs” and if it was “legal to let baby bitches in rounds.”

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

i had a fun round at a local recently where the only judge comment on the ballot was about my makeup being too heavy. i told my coach and we resolved the issue as best as we could, but can we all just agree to not make comments about how people look?

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

... and if they start the rebuttals STILL carrying 9 off and case in order, well... good luck Charlie.

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

Driving home from a tournament you bombed

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

art: insta: @ sarah.epperson

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

it’s trans awareness month! respect + support trans debaters and people in general because all genders are valid and everyone is so valid! #TransAwarenessMonth

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

I raise you one better. When your partner says they dropped something they didn’t as you watch from the sideline, powerless.

[AJ @SkribeGaming]

Me saying they dropped something they didn’t

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

On this weekend episode of Debating as a Woman: had to literally YELL for the first time in round just to ask the male opponents to let me answer a single cross-x questions halfway through the cross-x. They did not treat my male partner like this at all.

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

Survey time for all the speech and debate folx out there: Do you feel like your appearance has unjustly affected the results of a round?

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

Hey okay so given that today was the first day of asexual visibility week, would any ace/aro/gray debaters like to join an ASpec debaters chat or something? It would be a good opportunity to get to know more ASpec members of the community and make friends!

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

speech and debate should be an accepting place for all members of the lgbtqiap2+ community. hearing positive stories is great! happy #lgbthistorymonth

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

@RileeWilson Absolutely. This account is for speech and debate as a whole!

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

So as well as being Hispanic heritage month, it’s also LGBTQ history month. With that being said, we’d love to see stories of how speech and debate have you a platform to share those experience or spread your message as a member of the LGBTQ community!

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

Fav res of the last 4 years?

[Empower Debate @EmpowerDebate]

Of course, with the start of the season comes more stories of sexism and discrimination. This is not okay.