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PhD student Danielle Megaffin decided to turn the idea that the greatest accomplishment a woman can have is becoming a wife and mother on its head by taking bridal photos the first time she held her dissertation.

Despite becoming more and more progressive, our culture still expects women to take a back seat. More are joining the workforce than ever before, of course, but the top question they can always plan on being asked at any family gathering remains, “When are you getting married?” Women like Megaffin are showing the world that women are capable of much more than just taking on domestic duties.

The PhD student shared mini bridal photos from her ‘longest commitment ever’ on social media.

In an Instagram post that has garnered nearly 30,000 likes, Megaffin shared photos of herself holding her soft-bound dissertation for the first time. She wore a white off-the-shoulder dress and veil for the occasion. “We’re taught to celebrate weddings, but there are so many milestones that deserve just as much joy,” she said.

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In the caption, Megaffin continued, “I wanted to take pictures like this to let women know their value isn’t defined by a relationship or a man. Value comes from within and pursuing the things you like in life! You are whole just as you are!”

Megaffin, who spoke with People Magazine about the viral photos, got her bachelor’s degree in classics and classical languages, literature, and linguistics from Acadia University, followed by a master’s degree in museum studies from the University of Toronto. Her PhD is also in museum studies and is from the University of Leicester.

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Megaffin wanted to combat the ‘rise in anti-intellectualism’ with the photos.

When speaking with People, she described herself as a “proud feminist” and said that she chose to make a statement with the Instagram post to make “a quiet but deliberate pushback against the rising tide of anti-intellectualism and misogyny, especially online.”

She added, “Confident female voices are increasingly policed or diminished. I believe it is essential to publicly champion education and alternative life paths, especially for women who are watching and wondering if there is more than one way to build a meaningful life.”

Megaffin labeled herself “a child-free adult by choice,” saying that this huge achievement “mattered deeply to [her]” because of the values she holds most dear. ”So much of womanhood is still framed around a narrow set of milestones, marriage and motherhood, as if education, intellectual labor, and public contribution are somehow secondary or optional,” she continued.

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There are actually more women pursuing higher education than men now.

According to the Pew Research Center, 47% of American women between the ages of 25 and 34 have a bachelor’s degree. Only 37% of men can say the same. While this is encouraging, it doesn’t quite translate to the workforce. McKinsey and Company’s Women in the Workplace 2025 report found that “women remain underrepresented at every level of the corporate pipeline.”

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Women are becoming more educated, but it doesn’t look like they’re always making it far past that point, thanks to societal norms that have infiltrated the workplace for decades now. It’s not surprising given the political climate in the U.S. right now. As more conservative leaders have come to power, they have made a stronger push to keep women in traditional roles.

The world continues to move forward. Technology evolves, and new opportunities arise. And yet, women are still having to fight to make their way in the world and live the lives they dream of because of societal pressure. Everyone should have the right to choose what kind of life they want, just like Megaffin has done.

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Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.