Blog 9: Denny and Sicari essays

Both Denny and Sicari look at what it really feels like to work in and visit writing centers, especially when identity is involved. Denny digs into the idea of writing centers as “safe spaces,” pointing out that for queer students and tutors, safety isn’t guaranteed, it’s something people have to keep actively creating. Sicari reflects on her experiences as a woman writing center professional, highlighting the gendered expectations and everyday negotiations of authority that shape her work. These essays show that writing centers are human places where people are always learning how to support one another better.

I think both of these essays are especially important given the type of workplace a writing center is. The notion “the customer is always right” doesn’t really work in these types of spaces, because the goal isn’t to satisfy a customer, it’s to support a learner. Students may come in with misunderstandings, harmful language, unrealistic expectations, or assumptions about the tutor’s role. If tutors always prioritized “customer” comfort, they couldn’t challenge biased comments or correct misconceptions about their expertise or authority. Sicari explains that brushing certain comments or behaviors off only normalizes the behavior and actually contributes to a toxic environment, and I think it’s especially important to call it out in this type of workplace environment. 

How can tutors prepare for moments when a student’s comment makes the space suddenly feel unsafe, as in Denny’s example, without derailing the session entirely?