Column: Do not assume about majors

The woman sitting next to me on the flight collapsed into her seat, exhausted. She slid her carry-on under the seat and introduced herself. We did the regular small talk: “Where are you from? Were you in Louisiana for business?” She slid into a story about the constant travel she does at her job as a pharmaceutical representative.

She told me she hated hotels, and the only place in them where she didn’t feel like she was “going crazy” was in the hotel gym. Travel stresses me out, and I could never do her job. I told her as much.

Next, she asked about my major. I braced myself instinctively. This never went well.

“Women’s and gender studies!” I told her, smiling.

“Oh, no,” she said, furrowing her brow. She was no longer just tired; she was angry. She began to lecture me about the impracticality of my major. How it was a nice idea and all but not a serious major for a career. I was a sophomore at the time, and when she heard this she brightened.

“You still have time to change to something better!”

She was probably having a bad day, worn down from constant travel and a job she didn’t enjoy. This exchange probably wouldn’t have bothered me if it weren’t so routine.

It’s an exhausting choreography, and I’ve memorized every step. I’m ashamed to say I’ve lied a few times because I could tell the person asking would react poorly. Usually though, I tell the truth. But before I open my mouth, I brace myself for all possible reactions. Will I tell the truth? And if they react poorly, will I challenge them on it?

I’d gotten so used to condescension and insults that I used to try to beat them to it. I would roll my answer and apologies for those majors into one breath, “Women’s and gender studies and communication, I’ll be so unemployable!” or, “I’m looking forward to a future of unemployment!” Then they would laugh with me, revealing they agreed that my course of study had little “real world” value.

But this summer, a stranger asked me, so I tried something new. Our conversation was friendly. When he asked me, I told him, “Women’s and gender studies,” smiling. And I said nothing. No apologies or jokes. He was silent for thirty seconds. I let the silence sit.

I can count on one hand the number of positive reactions people have had to my major.

But I’m done apologizing for my course of study. Women’s and gender studies is just one of several majors which are dismissed out of hand as lacking value. African, African American and Diaspora studies, Latino/a studies, sexuality studies, Asian studies — all of these tend to evoke similar reactions, especially in light of the academic-athletic scandal.

These academic disciplines exist because of years of agitation on the part of women and people of color.

I could list the things that I have learned from my WMST classes. And the many career paths that this major prepares me for. But why bother? That gender is worthy of study is obvious. I’m excited to answer questions about my major, but I’m done apologizing for or defending it.