Girls Debate

The New York City Urban Debate League created the first debate league in the nation comprised of only female-identifying debaters. The Girls Debate League was founded not simply as a competitive debate league, but also as a holistic program of debate education which offers workshops, mentorship, leadership preparation, women’s issues study, guest speakers, advocacy training, and other youth empowerment and development activities.

After several of our debaters noticed the substantial gender gap in competitive debate, they formed the Girls Debate League to provide additional opportunities for female debaters in a safe and supportive environment. The Girls Debate League works to directly decrease the substantial gender gap in scholastic debate at a middle school and high school level and increase the number of young women continuing to collegiate debate. Currently, the NYCUDL has more female-identifying debaters than male-identifying debaters participating in our league. The majority of our female debaters are women of color, and the Girls Debate League adopts an intersectional approach to combating bias and equipping young women for competition in all contexts.

Throughout the year we also partner with incredible community organizations such as the Bella Abzug Leadership Institute, which offers free summer leadership programs for young women throughout the tri-state area, Humanities New York, and the New York Women’s Foundation. Without their support, none of our programs would be possible. So thank you so much on behalf of the thousands of students and families we serve. Because of your support all students and all schools have access to debate. And because of your support we are solving the gender gap in debate.

October 2019 – Girls Debate Round Robin Invitational Tournament

Photo Album Link: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmJghpax

Tournament Website Link: https://www.tabroom.com/index/tourn/index.mhtml?tourn_id=13808

Blog Post: https://beyondresolved.org/2019/09/11/event-westfield-nycudl-girls-pf-round-robin/

March 2019 – Women’s History Month Citywide All Girls Debate Invitational

July 2019 – NYCUDL-BALI Summer Debate Institute for Girls

2018-2019 Season

October 21st (Sunday) – NYCUDL-Westfield Girls Debate Round Robin Invitational.

Photo Album: https://flic.kr/s/aHskL3QDmW

Video: https://vimeo.com/297740920

October 27th (Saturday) – NYCUDL Girls Debate League Invitational Tournament and Workshop.

December 19th  – Michelle Obama’s “Becoming Michelle” Special Invitation for High School Female Debaters.

March 30th  (Saturday) – NYCUDL-BALI Girls Debate League Women’s History Month Debates.

Photo Album: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmChjJox

July – NYCUDL-BALI Summer Debate Institute for Girls

Photo Album: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmFm19mt

August – Field Trip to the US Women’s Soccer Team Ticker Tape Parade. Photos.

2017-2018 Season

September 16th (Saturday) – Girls Debate League Workshop #1. Learn more and view photos!

October 19th (Thursday) – Girls Debate League Leadership and Planning Committee #1

November 4th (Saturday) – Girls Debate League Workshop #2. Learn more and view photos!

December 21st (Thursday) – Girls Debate League Leadership and Planning Committee #2

January 27th (Saturday) – NYCUDL Girls Debate League Invitational Tournament. Tabmore information, and photos.

February 16th (Friday) – Girls Debate League Workshop #3

March 23rd (Friday) – NYCUDL-BALI Girls Debate League Women’s History Month Debates. Tab and more information.

May 12th (Saturday) – Girls Debate League Workshop #4

June 12th (Tuesday) – NYCUDL-Morgan Lewis Girls Debate League Law Mentorship Night

July – NYCUDL-BALI Summer Debate Institute for Girls

Upcoming Tournaments