For SOC 409W, I learned how to take complicated theories and use them to explain a genuine issue that happens in the workplace around the world. My paper was titled “Gender Expression, Masculinity, and Workplace Discrimination: Understanding the Experiences of Gay Men,” and it focused on how openly gay men, especially those who present in a more feminine way, can be judged differently because of workplace expectations around masculinity. Thanks to my professor Dr. Brandi Woodell giving me genuine feedback and seeing an additional concept I should address in my paper, I added another supporting concept and issue that I didn’t think about, which was instead of a broad “experiences of gay men,” to have a supporting concept of racial field theory for experiences of Black gay men and how they are impacted even more. I worked with concepts like Feminist Interactionist Theory, Hegemonic Masculinity, Intersectionality, and Racial Field. This class forced me to see what actually supported my research question instead of choosing it loosely. This course helped me become more confident with writing about topics that are heavy, layered, and even uncomfortable.