User blog comment:MDVolcano/Blog Survivor: Reject Cast Submission/@comment-26485526-20191016024802

Like Berry, Lydia was also originally submitted for UnderAPineapple's cancelled season, Survivor: Johor.

Name (Age):  Lydia Stefaniuk (43)

Hometown: Burlington, VT

Occupation: Psychology Professor

Personal Claim to Fame: Never having children despite pressure from literally everyone around me! I don't need to have children to quote "fulfill my duties as a woman" or whatever BS. Besides, my husband and I woulda been terrible parents anyway. We're both professors at the University of Vermont, and we're both just too focused on research, our careers, and other things we enjoy to have any time for a family.

Inspiration in Life: Inspirational women like Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony, and Betty Ford that fought for social change and changed the lives of so many people throughout history. In my lifetime, I'd love to be able to make even a quarter of the positive impact on society that any one of them were able to achieve.

Hobbies: Researching, traveling, spending time with my husband, Pavel, volunteering in my community, reading fantasy novels, hanging out with the girls.

Pet Peeves: Ignorant people, specifically those that think the feminist's movement's work is over. While yes, we have come a long, long way in the last hundred years, but unfortunately, women in our society still have to deal with a wage gap, and only now a light is being shined on sexual harassment in the workplace! All women, and the men that support them, still have quite a ways to go before we reach true equality. I also can't stand lazy people, especially ones that don't clean up their own mess.

3 Words to Describe You: Independent, competitive, outspoken

SURVIVOR Contestant You are Most Like: Take the aggressive game-play and strong will of Deanne Arbuthnot and combine it with the social-skills, and adventurous nature of Riley Wahlstedt, and the challenge prowess of Inge Whiteside, and you have me.

Reason for Competing on SURVIVOR: I just love Survivor so much, and I'm always looking for a new adventure. Sure, I'd love to win a million dollars, but I'm just so excited to be out here and I can't wait to play big, while having a helluva time doing it!

Why You Believe You Will Become the SOLE SURVIVOR: I'm a strong, independent woman, with more drive and competitive spirit than most people. As a psychology professor, I've studied the human mind and human behaviour, so I already feel like I have at least a bit of an edge over people since I can anticipate how people will react to certain things, and who I may or may not be able to trust. I'm also very outspoken in my everyday life, and I'm used to speaking in front of lecture halls at contain 300 students, so the Final Tribal Council won't phase me at all. So even though physical challenges won't be my strong suit, I'm absolutely positive that I have what it takes to make it to the end and win.

Additional Information (to allow me to know more about him/her): Lydia is fairly short (standing at 5 foot 3) and overweight, meaning that just by looking at her, you might dismiss her as a non-threat, but that would be a huge mistake. Lydia has quite a mouth on her and is not afraid to use it in any way, shape, or form. Expect her to play an aggressive, but calculated game, and to be someone that will refuse to quit or hold anything back. Growing up, Lydia has always been "the fat kid," and was therefore bullied relentlessly through her time in school, with names like "Chubby Chicken" and "Miss Piggy" being common insults thrown her way. As such, she has learned to develop quite a thick skin, and when it comes down to it, is a compassionate person. Lydia got into psychology because she has always been fascinated with the human mind and human behavior, and she credits that to the time when she wondered why and how the catty, popular girls could be so mean. During her spare time, Lydia does a lot of volunteer work, and considers herself to be a feminist advocate. During the Presidential elections in 2008, 2012, and 2016, she even volunteered with the Democratic party in her home state of Vermont. As much of an advocate as she is though, she hates when people make a scene and play the victim card over trivial things under the monikers of "feminism" or "activism" (*cough*Zeaira*cough*) because it gives "True Social Justice Warriors" such as herself a bad name on social media, especially when they do protest worthy causes like the gender wage gap or child custody rights for men, or speak out on issues like the "Time's Up" movement. As much of a hero as Lydia considers herself to be in her everyday life however, if she needs to be a villain and play a little dirty to stay in the game, so be it.

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