College student allegedly given a ‘zero’ on assignment for using the term ‘biological women’

A University of Cincinnati student alleges she received a zero on a gender studies assignment because she used the term “biological women.” 

Student Olivia Krolczky said the professor for the class, called Women’s Gender Studies in Pop Culture, gave her the failing grade because the term was “exclusionary.” 

Krolczyk explained the assignment was to propose a research topic related to feminism, and she chose the topic of trans athletes in women’s sports.  

“I got a 0 on a project proposal in my class because I used the term biological women, which is apparently not allowed anymore,” Krolczyk said in a Tik-Tok video. “She [the professor] even said it was a good project proposal. But I got a 0 because I use this term as exclusionary and that’s not allowed anymore.”  

In the video, Krolczyk showed the teacher’s comments along with the grade received, zero out of 20.  

“Olivia, this is a solid proposal,” wrote the teacher, who was not named. “However, the terms ‘biological women’ are exclusionary and are not allowed in this course as they further reinforce heteronormativity.” 

The professor’s actions even appear to contradict the class syllabus, which states, “You will not be graded on the contents of your opinions so long as your opinions do not create emotional and or mental harm for your diverse classmates.”  

And when Krolczyk emailed the professor inquiring about the grade, she says she was told the term was transphobic, leading her to believe the real reason her teacher failed her was ideological. 

“I 100% know that this is like the most biased grade ever because my project is about (transgender women) competing in biological women’s sports,” Krolczyk said.  

Eventually, in a meeting with the university’s Gender Equality office, she was told another professor would review and grade her work and she would receive a week extension.  

After more than two weeks, Krolczyk reported after the reevaluation, she has received an A in the class. 

As her story spread online, Krolczyk says she’s received an “alarming” number of messages from other students experiencing similar treatment at universities around the country. 

“I encourage each and every one of you to stand up and try to do something about it because there has to be a wakeup call and our push back will be the start to the end of it all,” Krolczyk says.