'Fitting In': Envisioning Inclusion of All Body Sizes

Body size is part of the conversation when we talk about being inclusive. How does the university create environments that welcome all bodies? One way to envision this question is to look at the physical campus. Are sidewalks wide enough to encompass folks using assistive devices alongside those who do not? Do classrooms, libraries, and labs offer a variety of seating and desk/table configurations to comfortably fit every body?

We might also think about the non-tangible ways bodies ‘fit’ into the university. Are the DEI goals including body size in the conversation? Do students feel emboldened to identify as a person of size and/or an individual with a disability? Does that translate into increased and more confident advocacy on behalf of students of size?

These and other questions will be addressed as we envision inclusion in all its parameters.