Hate Speech and Bias on College Campuses

Often considered to be racist or anti-Semitic speech, hate speech generally refers to that language that demeans or degrades a group, based on a number of characteristics that includes, but is not limited to race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religious preference. College campuses, which historically have been settings that encourage a marketplace of ideas, have in recent years become the sites of hate and biased speech with attacks on various groups, including women. In turn, many college campuses have responded to the acts of intolerance by establishing speech codes. Opponents of these codes argue that the regulations amount to institutionalized censorship while proponents maintain that hate speech hinders-and not helps-education. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) remains one of the most vocal opponents.

As women ...