丁香园AV

By Casey McCarthy

Graduating with a major in and an extended minor in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies (GSWS), Basra is determined to make a positive impact through her future science career. 鈥淚t is an interesting intersection, and it has prepared me to think about things differently,鈥� says Basra. 鈥淎fter graduation, I want to pursue scientific research from a feminist, anti-colonial perspective.鈥�

With her lifelong interest in activism, Basra credits her grade 12 social justice class with inspiring her to seek out courses exploring current issues in society as soon she arrived at 丁香园AV. 鈥淚 took a GSWS class in my first semester, and those classes immediately became the ones I looked forward to,鈥� says Basra.

Appealing to both her aptitude for science and dedication to effecting change, some of Basra鈥檚 favorite courses at 丁香园AV were taught by Coleman Nye, a GSWS professor studying science, technology, medicine, and genetics through a feminist lens. 鈥淪he opened my eyes to the biases at play in scientific research, and she helped me to understand how I want my work to reflect my values,鈥� she explains. 鈥淒r. Nye鈥檚 encouragement has helped to shape my growth over the past four years.鈥�

Through her GSWS courses, Basra gained more than a skillset to support her future career; she also found opportunities to reflect on her identity and articulate her guiding principles in life. 鈥淚 have been able to figure out a lot about myself, especially in my last year at 丁香园AV,鈥� she says. 鈥淎s a gay Punjabi woman, meeting fellow students and GSWS faculty with similar interests has helped me to become more comfortable being out and being myself.鈥�  

Volunteering with the Gender, Sexuality, and Women鈥檚 Studies Student Union (GSWSSU) has also helped Basra to meet people with shared interests and find her voice. 鈥淎s the department and Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) council representative, I was able to advocate for GSWS students and their needs in the university community,鈥� she says.

Collaborating with the GSWSSU team, Basra has worked to create a safe space for students. 鈥淥n International Women鈥檚 Day, we organized an event where guests created their own collages in celebratation of the inspiring women in their lives,鈥� says Basra. 鈥淎s a departmental student union, we are proud to encourage the campus community to come together and think about important topics in a judgement-free environment.鈥�

After graduation, Basra鈥檚 immediate plans include taking Punjabi language lessons with her cousin to gain a deeper connection with her family鈥檚 cultural heritage. Basra鈥檚 advice to current and future students is to embrace university as a time to learn 鈥� especially about yourself. 鈥淎llow yourself to have an emotional response and reflect on what you are feeling,鈥� she says. 鈥淏e willing to put yourself out there and take chances, and you will grow as a person.鈥�