Alexandra Gloria Nytschyk-DiBartolomeo explains why she chose to undertake a joint honours program in women’s studies and sociology.
Choice of Program: I had no idea how much this program would change my life. It’s a kaleidoscope of knowledge that opens pathways… it’s like an explosion of knowledge! It’s not just theory. I find it to be very interactive and I can apply it to my everyday life. It gave me a new lens through which I can look at the world differently. It also gives me the confidence to talk about difficult issues, and to debate things I care about.
There are a lot of stereotypes around feminism such as the misinformed assumptions that it is geared at lesbians and man haters. This is unfortunate because, in fact, this program is inclusive, and attracts all kinds of students and is anything but a female-driven, man-hating environment. On the contrary, we don’t just study feminism, we also study, among other things, masculinity. There are amazing courses to discover like Gender, sexuality and pop culture. Personally, the program has allowed me to delve deeper into a variety of topics that are of interest to me, from female genital mutilation, to women’s economic equality, to legal reform, capitalism and even Wall Street. The program is customizable and exciting, and offers so many possibilities. It taught me how to argue and make a point in a reasoned and well researched way. In my three years here, I have yet to come across a poor professor, they are all so incredible!