I've been fascinated by people from the very beginning. I am a proud people-watcher and, over the years, have begun to ask questions and dig into why I find us all so interesting. The study of Communication has opened doors for me to better understanding the groups I am apart of, the people around me, and myself. Communication, I would argue, is the fabric of the universe. Unlocking and questioning its many complexities has led me on some kind of self-discovery journey, to say the least. Communication is far more than simply my interest, it is also the foundation of who I am and who I believe we all are. I better grasp my own practices, beliefs and see the root of my passions be planted here.
The past year of my life, which has consisted of post-undergrad transition, graduate school, deep self-reflection, and a lot of conflicting answers to the question "So what do you want to do with your life as a Communication major?", has challenged me to come face-to-face with what I truly find compelling. The vastness of opportunity that comes with being a Communication major can be, honestly, quite overwhelming but this vastness has taught me to fight for myself. To fight for what I believe in and to follow the leadership of a greater power that has created this world, and me, for good work. This is where I found stigma, identity, and shame. At the crossroads of my academic interests and greater self-understanding. Today, I find myself curious of "Who am I?," "Who are we?," "How do group associations shape our view the world?," "How does it shape how we view ourselves?," and "How do we manage identities that are disregarded and degraded by society?" It is in these curiosities I learned about legal sex work. As the most stigmatized, misunderstood, complex, and degraded members of the occupational world, what do these women do to manage their image and how do they respond to questions such as these? I wanted to find out. My passion for this topic is ultimately grounded in my spiritual beliefs, that we are all equally valuable and worthy of good. Communication is the avenue to deepening our comprehension of greater worldly conversations that complicate and challenge what society tells us is acceptable, worthy, and valuable. The topic of legal sex work is risky, complicated, and misunderstood which makes it an interesting starting point when examining the power of stigma and formation of societal beliefs.
Ultimately, over the past few months, I've come to realize the root issue of this interest is "injustice." It is a broad term but is exemplified in many, many ways. I'm not sure my life's work is in digging into the rich issues of legal sex work, but, for today, I have found deep affection and loyalty to this conversation and it has given me a place to stand and a potential avenue for future work when answering "What do you want to do with your life as a Communication major?" I am indebted to Communication for it has released, in me, great devotion to the treatment of others and has identified itself as the source of unity in the world.
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