Amongst the thousands of courses taught at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, it can be hard to navigate choosing the suitable class and professor for you while also achieving the requirements for your major. This semester I decided to fulfill my United States Diversity general education requirement and take the course WGSS 187; Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies taught by professor Derek Siegel. WGSS is an introductory course to the theoretical perspective and concepts of culture, sexuality, and gender studies. The course is designed to allow students to critically engage with some of today’s most pressing issues: social media, gender roles, income and gender inequality, masculinity, and queer rights. Most importantly, however, you learn how each of these elements intersects—how family norms impact gender roles, or how US slavery has affected income inequality today. 

They say that what makes a class is the teacher. Professor Siegel is an engaged and enthusiastic professor who creates a safe and welcoming environment for students to learn and share. Professor Siegel received his master’s in Sociology from UMass, Amherst in 2019, and now teaches feminist theory and race, reproduction, and trans studies to UMass students. During class, we discuss sensitive subjects like sexuality, discrimination, and body image, to name a few, and Professor Siegel encourages all students to listen attentively with an open mind and heart. 

My favorite part about this class…

The thing I value most about this course is the open discussion between my classmates. Most of my peers are of a different race, culture, or sexual and gender orientation, and I have really enjoyed getting to hear everyone’s different perspectives on today’s current issues. 

What I have learned in this class…

In the first five weeks of this course, we have discussed the effects of patriarchy and capitalism within society and the economy, Covid-19’s impact on people of low socioeconomic status, xenophobia, and white supremacy and its relation to American individualism. 

My favorite topic we have discussed in this class… 

So far, my favorite topic has been learning about how Covid-19 has impacted many different aspects of American society. For instance, the racist remarks and acts of violence acted towards Chinese-Americans, or how lower-income citizens have not received healthcare and treatment from the virus because of their socioeconomic standing. Additionally, the idea is that Americans value individualism, a strong work ethic and measure success by a monetary value. This can only be seen more since the pandemic; when the virus broke out, business meetings turned virtual, meals were to-go, and online shopping boomed. Americans do not slow down; we continue to push and push toward the American Dream.

If you are looking to take a course that discusses modern issues in an open and conversational environment, I strongly recommend enrolling in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.