For much of his life, Andy Murphy (Honors BS ‘08, Gender Studies & Economics) has enjoyed crafting a persuasive argument. As a high schooler, he was a member of the school debate team and enjoyed the challenge of researching and then building a compelling case to support or oppose a position. It was captivating enough that even as a high schooler, he knew he wanted to attend law school. Before that milestone, he knew he needed an undergraduate degree. Knowing he would spend years studying the things he needed to know, he used his undergraduate experience to studying the things he wanted to know.
For him, that meant something related to the ways that gender showed up in the world. While in high school, he attended a presentation during which a lecturer who has since become an adjunct professor from the University of Utah gave a lecture on the ways that patriarchy played out in mainstream society. He didn’t understand the full ramifications of what her presentation meant, but it was a watershed moment for him. “It felt like someone turned a light on,” explained Murphy. “I felt like I suddenly had a framework for things I had felt but never had language for.”
Debating and learning about feminism in high school made Murphy want to learn more, which prompted enrollment in undergraduate gender studies courses. “The curriculum of gender studies gave me a way to escape the system that had been built around me,” said Murphy. “The ideas I encountered gave me more freedom and authenticity in my own life.” Not only that, in hindsight, he can see the impact on multiple aspects of his life. “I still think about concepts I encountered in my gender studies classes—liberation within queer identity; joy as resistance; hooks’s declaration that feminism is for everyone. I got to learn about things that genuinely interested me; and, in hindsight, I can see they’ve been the foundation of my entire career.”
After earning his bachelor’s degrees and a stint working for a local nonprofit, Murphy did attend law school. From 2010 to 2013 he attended the University of Washington School of Law. His first job out of law school was at a private practice law firm where he represented businesses and individuals in a wide array of civil litigation. Many of his cases, and much of his pro bono work, centered around discrimination issues. Understandably, his legal background was invaluable, but so was the knowledge he gained in his gender studies curriculum. Murphy explained that one of the core things he learned through his gender studies courses was how power operates. “Gender studies courses taught me how oppression operates and what happens when power is challenged or dismantled,” said Murphy.
In advising his clients on how to resolve their disputes, his background in gender studies again manifested—and continues to manifest—its value. Murphy explained, “I think people would be surprised how much business stakeholders think about this—how many business leaders have built successful careers based on their advocacy for equity. And because I have studied these concepts, I have the appropriate language for this subject matter. It lends credibility when I need to speak to these topics and has helped me better understand how to address these issues in real time.”
From there, Murphy continued his private practice work at another firm in Washington and focused on novel issues, especially in the newly legal cannabis industry. He explained that was a particularly exciting opportunity as he was able to work in a body of law without precedent—something extremely rare, raw, and fun within the legal sector. His gender studies degree also gave him a head start in this work. “Nearly everyone I encountered in that industry cared about addressing historically inequity within the industry, particularly how people of color have been treated unfairly by the legal system for activity that has become lawful and for which white people are receiving the most profit,” said Murphy. “This was something I had already studied some in my undergraduate studies and gave me a head start in contributing to that important and necessary work.”
In the last several years, he has been able to put his knowledge to use in still different ways. Now a member of the Community Trust legal team at Airbnb, his undergraduate education is directly relevant to his work advising the company on global policy, global operations, and antidiscrimination efforts. “As a litigator, I came in after a problem had already happened, usually to fight over money. That type of adversarial dynamic felt inherently destructive.” He continued, “In the work I’m doing now, I get to advise on ways to avoid problems before they occur, using my experience to proactively work through issues before they become disputes and well before they move through the wringer that is the litigation process.” He loves this shift. “I get to spend my days having conversations with smart, passionate people, who are invested in doing the right thing and solving pressing issues around discrimination and accessibility.”
Though the sectors he has worked within are varied, Murphy sees a distinct common thread in his professional trajectory: the work has had some impact in moving the needle closer to equity—something his undergraduate degree prepared him for in unique ways. “The knowledge base I gained in gender studies has made me more impactful in what I do. It has helped me at every step along the way in my career.”