OVERALL GRADE: TBD

I used my second free state-issued voucher to take the prerequisite course Introduction to Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies at the University of Vermont. This essay and literature-heavy course is taught by Annika Ljung-Baruth. Although there were far more assigned readings for this class than I am used to, every sentence I've read has been fascinating and eye-opening. Below is the class syllabus:

As you can tell by the syllabus, this class is rigorous in the literature department, at least compared to high school standards. Although I have experience with reading and note-taking, I quickly learned how to analyze the most valuable information, and then skim the rest.

What I love so much about this class is the language it's giving me. I thought I had a very good understanding of feminist issues before this class - I was wrong. Although my previous experience and research of feminism gave me a good groundwork, this class has brought it to another level. By naming certain concepts, it dug deeper into concepts of sexism, racism, homophobia, socialized masculinity, capitalism, and intersectionality. It truly deconstructed and inspected these concepts. My main takeaway is an awareness of the incredible complexity of these issues. With rigorous coursework and difficult reading assignments, from comparing the themes of an 18th century feminist essays to Alison Bechdel's presentation at an art gallery on campus, this class has truly challenged me to intellectually understand the ins and outs of our society and the ways it has perpetuated the marginalization and oppression of populations.

Below is a real reading assignment called "The Gender Knot: What Drives Patriarchy?" by Allan Johnson

Below is a trailer for a film we watched called "Tough Guise 2", which was a very eye-opening film on the ways patriarchal masculinity promotes violence between men and boys, specially surround mass shootings. The trailer does a good job summarizing the concepts covered in the documentary.

Every few classes we had to write a reflection connecting any film screenings and reading assignments we'd been studying. Below are a couple examples: