Now the news for Cambridge’s so-sensitive student readers

Stories in university newspaper come with woke trigger warnings

CAMBRIDGE University’s celebrated student newspaper Varsity was once so fearless that some of its stories resulted in the editor being challenged to a duel.

Now, however, it’s become so worried about causing offence that it’s publishing ‘trigger warnings’ at the top of stories that sensitive readers could find upsetting.

The paper reported last week on the spiking of student drinks on a night out – and readers were told at the top of the article: ‘Content Note: This article contains discussion of spiking and sexual harassment.’

In another article about people dressing as Zulus to attend a bonfire, readers were told: ‘Content

Watch out: The warnings on two of the stories the Varsity editor thinks may cause offence note: this article contains descriptions ‘Content warnings: abortion, violence Sebode believes that national and discussions of racism and against women, protests.’ newspapers could soon be forced blackface.’ A third recent story was Editor Isabel Sebode told the to follow suit. about a PhD student who was Daily Mail that Varsity had introduced ‘I can see it starting to happen on the+ victim of an attack and the warnings because it other publications,’ she said. ‘Certainly alleged police discrimination. believed Cambridge students on features. If somebody has Readers were warned: ‘Contains a expected not to be upset. been the victim of sexual abuse, for description of an anti-Asian hate ‘It’s just something that’s example, they’re probably going to crime and police discrimination.’ evolved organically over time,’ want to be made aware if it’s

The paper, whose print edition she said yesterday. ‘If an article referred to in a story. has a circulation of 10,000, reported mentions something which ‘I don’t think people nowadays on a row at a student fair may upset somebody, then we necessarily get any more offended where anti-abortionists clashed believe they’ll want to be made than previous generations. I with pro-choice campaigners. It aware of that. It’s effectively just think that we are now trying noted at the top of the article: protecting them more.’ Miss harder to respect people’s feelings by behaving more considerately.’ The paper is following the example of other Cambridge institutions, such as the Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club, which warned that its Christmas production of Rapunzel featured sexism, homophobia and substance abuse.

The show by Cambridge Footlights is described as a ‘queer and colourful’ take on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale.

The university’s archive is also to have trigger warnings on classic children’s books for ‘harmful content relating to slavery, colonialism and racism’.

Among Varsity’s former editors are University Challenge host Jeremy Paxman, broadcaster David Frost and Death Wish film director Michael Winner. Some of Sylvia Plath’s earliest poems and JG Ballard’s first published story were written for the paper.

Content note: this article contains discussions of abortion and anti-abortion campaigning

Content note: Contains a description of an anti-Asian hate crime and police discrimination