RE "Gender Bender," Nov. 11:
Most of the people who read this article have no idea who I am, but you may have seen me walking down McCormick Road in jeans, a t-shirt, and Converses. That's right, not "Jack Rogers sandals" or a "Barbour jacket". In fact, I don't even know what either of those are. Does that mean I am not a female U.Va. student? No.
This is not say that Abby Costner didn't make a good point in her article about the differences between guys and girls at U.Va., but something needs to be said about the fact that there are other people that go here than the proverbial "Frat Boy" and "Sorority Girl." We've all seen it: The hoards of girls in v-neck white shirts and Nike running shorts walking to class. The frat bros in khaki shorts, polo shirts and backwards hats. But does anyone ever take a minute to look at all of the other people on the crowded sidewalks? Probably not. Sure, many U.Va. students look alike, but does that mean we are all the same? Not by any stretch of the imagination. Take my group of roommates, for example. We come from all different ethnic backgrounds and home towns. Sure, we share many of the same interests, but we all are involved in different things. I am an engineer, my roommates are pre-Comm and in the College. I am from New Jersey, they are from Maryland, Virginia, and Minnesota. Some of our extracurriculars are as follows: Bhangra, working at a vet clinic, Engineering Student Council, and Hoos for a Cure. We definitely do not appear to be the stereotypical U.Va. girls. But that doesn't mean we don't share some qualities of that lady Hoo. We get dressed up and go to football games. We go to frat parties. We love Take it Away. And coffee. We play endless games of Kings, and we are always looking for a good dance party.
So for all of you Wahoos out there that don't fit that small mold of the typical U.Va. "Bro" or "Biddie", you are not alone. Embrace it. I am going to walk around wearing my comfy Converses and watch the girls in high heels struggle to walk to class on the uneven brick. But next time you are walking in front of Cabell or down McCormick Road, take a look around. We are all different people. But there is a common thread here: We go to U.Va. We bleed blue and orange. So let's take pride in that, instead of letting the stereotypes divide us.
Libby Engel\nSEAS II
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