A student at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio is calling for action after a professor failed her on her final project proposal over her use of the term “biological women” in a paper about feminism.
Olivia Krolczyk (pictured above) claimed in a now-viral TikTok video that her Women’s Gender Studies in Pop Culture professor failed her on her project proposal even though it was “a solid proposal” because using the term biological women is “exclusionary.”
“I got a zero on a project proposal in my class because I used the term biological woman which is apparently not allowed anymore. She even said it was a good project proposal but I got a zero because I used this term that is exclusionary and not allowed anymore,” Kroloczyk said.
According to Kroloczyk, the project had “very broad” requirements. She just had to pick a topic of something to do with feminism and support it with sources from class. The student notes that she chose to explore how rights and opportunities for female athletes have changed throughout history including current events such as the recent fight in Ohio to preserve the integrity women’s sports from allowing biological males to participate in biological women’s sports.
“Olivia, this is a solid proposal. However, the terms “biological women” are exclusionary and are not allowed in this course as they further reinforce heteronormativity,” the professor’s note allegedly states.
Kroloczyk noted that since she participated in this expidited class with only 15 total projects, the 0 on this final project dropped her class grade drastically.
“I 100 percent know that this is the most biased grade ever because my project is about transgenders competing in biological women’s sports. How am I supposed to do my final project if I can’t use the word biological woman but that’s what my project is about?” the student said.
She said that she e-mailed the professor after receiving the feedback and the professor informed her that using the term “biological women” is transphobic.
“Then I was told I was implementing TERF ideology, which is Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminism, which she then went on to explain that it was “women who fight for women’s rights but exclude trans because they think that women’s rights are being affected by trans people. Which is literally true but,” Krolczyk said.
The student said that she contacted the university’s Office of Gender Equality, and the office told her that she could finish her proposal and a different professor would grade her project.
Krolczyk argued that she followed the professor’s instructions exactly and that the university needs to hold the professor accountable for limiting her free speech.
“The directions for the assignment in which I received a zero on specifically states, ‘This exercise is developmental. Thoughtful proposals submitted on time will receive full credit.’ I turned in my assignment on time and I can guarantee 100 percent that my proposal was extremely thoughtful. If the professor is not corrected in some way she is going to continue to do this to other students in the future. She needs to be held accountable and used as an example to all staff and all universities out there that it is not okay to use your position of power as a professor to try to limit someone’s right to free speech,” she said.
According to Krolczyk, the number of students who have contacted her relaying similar experiences “is alarming” and someone needs to stand up and push back.
“There has to be a wake-up call and our pushback will be the start of it all,” Krolczyk said.
Following the release of the video, Ohio Republican Lawmakers are pushing harder to pass Senate Bill (SB) 83, known as the Ohio Higher Education Enhancement Act, introduced by State Senator Jerry Cirino, (R-Kirtland).
The legislation would require intellectual diversity in college and university classrooms and among the faculty, free speech protections for students, faculty, and staff, and no political and ideological “litmus tests” in all hiring, promotion, and admission decisions.
“A sophomore at the University of Cincinnati reports that her professor gave her a zero on a college project for using the term “biological women.” Pass SB83!” State Representative Josh Williams (R-Oregon) said.
University of Cincinnati Director of Media Relations Katie Pence told The Ohio Star that the university is continuing to review the matter through its “established policies and processes.”
The Star reached out to Krolczyk but did not receive a comment before press time.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Olivia Krolczyk” by Olivia Krolczyk.
