Hello, I’m Danielle Hestand

Initially, I joined Medium because I longed to post about something quite specific — an article about the rights that pet fish deserve. I enjoy writing nonfiction, so I decided to post more about topics I care about such as animal rights, books, feminism, and sustainability.

I’m passionate about reading and writing. I’ve been an avid reader since I was a child. I devour classics, fantasy, science fiction, horror, and more. My B. A. is in English, and I just completed my M.A. in August. I start my PhD in the fall. Being in school again is amazing because I adore literature, research, and learning — some of the core interests that drove me to start writing on Medium. Much of my content consists of book reviews, reflections, or recommendations.

Besides being a book lover, I care deeply about animals. I have two cats named Phosphorus and Chaucer. Due to my concern for animals, I often post on animal rights or write articles that inspire a fascination with creatures. I’m a vegetarian out of my regard for animals. My writings about helping the environment stem in part from my concerns about the ways that any damage to the earth harms the numerous creatures that inhabit it.

Writing on feminism also contains deep importance for me. This stems partly from my own experiences with misogyny, the ways I see patriarchal structures impact all genders negatively, and from the means by which studying literary theory and history showed me that we still haven’t achieved full gender equality.

At the same time, my identity as a nonreligious person is significant to me and will be influencing more of my writings in the future. I’m an agnostic which became a crucial part of my identity after I left Christianity.

Additionally, I love history and philosophy. I minored in history for my B. A. and took philosophy courses for fun. I believe that we all benefit from learning new concepts and keeping our minds sharp.

I enjoy coffee and hot teas. A few favorites are Irish breakfast, English breakfast, chai, green tea, and peppermint. It’s amazing to me to light a candle and relax while sipping an herbal tea.

My other hobbies include crafts and volunteer work. I’ve written multiple short stories and have a couple novels in progress.