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About Our Department

Faculty and students in the Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies use an interdisciplinary approach to examine the construction of women, gender, and sexuality throughout the world. The interdisciplinary research and training in our department positions people to be thought leaders and agents in addressing inequality in all its forms. Our graduates have gone on to work in fields such as business, entertainment, law, medicine, and social work. This community of scholars and activists is committed to doing the critical work of reimagining and producing a more inclusive future.

Why Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at WashU?

Among the first in the nation (est. 1972), the Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Washington University has emphasized the importance of gender and sexuality to such disciplines and interdisciplinary programs as philosophy, psychology, history, education, law, architecture, art history and archaeology, anthropology, political science, international studies, American culture studies, and studies in culture and languages.

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies students are often leaders in campus organizations that deal with issues concerning women, gender relations, sexuality and health. They also participate in a wide spectrum of co-curricular organizations available to undergraduates, including Students for Choice, Uncle Joe's Peer Counseling, LIVE, Student Forum on Sexuality, SARAH, Pride Alliance WU, and the Representation Project.

 

 

Certainly WGSS helps students better understand social relationships, gender, and sexuality. But WGSS also prepares students to critically think in any situation, whether or not they have encountered it before. That skill set is indispensable. Many majors follow careers dissimilar from their initial training. WGSS casts the widest net in that sense. Regardless of whether or not my work involves gender or sexuality issues, I know that I have been trained to succeed efficiently, empathetically, creatively, and justly

―Rishi Rattan, MD WGSS Alumna

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2025!

MAJORS

Brandy Farmer, Aliana Mediratta, Ayana Alston, Zoe Brader-Araje, Destinee Flonnoy, Rachel Hochberg, Amelia Letson, Ceci Rogers, Naomi Sladkus, Shaina Storch, Ellie Wich, Katelin Chaparro, Becca Dayan, Gage Gage, Annie Hindes, Liana Johnson, Sara Nagireddy, Maddy Dixon Eric Lei, Maya Torres Colom, Marley Wiemers, Anais Beauvais, Katrina Sorochinsky, Elizabeth Stier, Lily Kapner, Renee Metzger, Kyra Raymond-Smith, Isabela Stampes-Blackburn, Marli Zail 

MINORS

Christina Chun, Nashua Haque, Aliza Kleinberg, Bariat Bashiru, Lauren Gay, Bailey Herman, Mairead Burwell, Brianna Gregory, Ronan Hanley, Rhea Herbert, Lily Pecoriello, Amanda Shih, Kimberly Botello, Disha Chatterjee, Taylor Miller, Maddy Molyneux, Lily Smith, Carolyn Tsung, Madison Brown, Violet Cooper, Myca Costello. Jake Forman, Rianna Gardiner, Rou Hu, Doris Lamour, Leena Rai, Carly Ramacher, Roses Wong, Victoria Briggiler, Jeffrey Camille, Taylor Henry, Caroline Kelleher, McKale Thompson, Bis Macenka, Rachael Beaudin, SaMiya Carroll, Shelby Edison, Olivia Gilbert, Taylor Lewis, Kate Sifferlen, Darsh Singhania, Stella Smith-Weiner

JD/MA STUDENTS

Maria McTeigue

GRADUATE CERTIFICATE STUDENTS

Franzi Finkenstein, PhD, Germanic Languages & Literatures; Yamile Ferreira, PhD, Romance Languages and Literatures; Chia Yu Lien, PhD, Anthropology; Stephen Reaugh, PhD, English; Karla Aguilar Velasquez, PhD, Romance Languages and Literatures; Laurel Ann Taylor, PhD, Comparative Literature