As I've mentioned, I'm a junior Gender and Women's Studies student at UMBC. The GWST Department is kicking my butt this semester! I'm taking three GWST classes currently. Two of them have ten page papers as finals while the other requires a 20-25 page paper. Thankfully, I have planned my time and papers out pretty successfully. I have noticed, though, that the GWST Department at UMBC is different from most similar departments at other schools. Many of the black feminists and womanists I follow on Tumblr are pretty much always upset about the way their classes are taught. Of course, black women aren't at the forefront of most of my GWST classes, but I definitely feel like black women's experiences are taken into account at UMBC. Maybe because our school is so diverse, we are more open to the experiences of others? Anyway, if I ever feel like the Black experience is left out, I always feel free to express my opinion on the matter and offer some insight. I never speak for the entire Black community, but as a minority in such classes, I feel that it is my responsibility to speak up. Whenever I am allowed to choose my own topic for research, it always reflects current issues in the Black community. I am happy that the GWST Department at UMBC makes me feel comfortable with doing so. I never have to answer any questions based on beliefs that do not match my own. I am free to say how I feel and what I think. I appreciate that! I do wish that the GWST Department had greater pull on the campus' Black community. There are very few cross-listed classes between the GWST and Africana Studies Departments, but I guess that is liable to change at any time. It would be excellent if there was a womanist class offered! Maybe that could be my future career? Who knows!
Until next time...
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