08/18/2025
"Calls to eliminate “gender ideology,” diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and social justice at large have ramped up sharply in the U.S. over the past few months under the Trump administration. As sociologist Laurie Essig asserts, “Regimes attacking democracy know one thing: You can’t control a population that questions power.”
These claims that degrees in fields like gender studies are “useless” directly conflict with the government data collected on our graduates. This data clearly demonstrates that the education students receive in critical interdisciplinary classrooms provides them with a strong, flexible foundation to adapt to societal and economic changes.
What if we shifted the conversation about pursuing a degree in gender studies and similar interdisciplinary programs, to the proposition that they might be the antidote we all need in this moment of political instability? Far from finding their degrees “useless,” our graduates are ahead of the curve and well poised to contribute in myriad ways to building a healthier, more vibrant and just nation."
Despite political attacks, data shows graduates of cultural and gender studies programs are equipped with skills in demand in the workforce.
