A University of Cambridge scholar faced intense misogynistic backlash and even a rape threat after sharing that she had received her PhD. Taking to her X page (formerly known as Twitter) on November 27, Dr. Ally Louks shared a snap of herself holding her PhD thesis: “Olfactory Ethics: The Politics of Smell in Modern and Contemporary Prose.”

In the photograph, which has amassed nearly 73 million views on X, Ally appeared to be holding her PhD diploma proudly. 

Smiling and dressed in a maroon sweater, she held a hardcover copy of her thesis. She captioned the post: “Thrilled to say I passed my viva with no corrections and am officially PhDone.”

Despite the impressive accomplishment, a slew of people seemingly took the news negatively, as an X user wrote: “You would have spent your years better by getting married and having children.”

A Cambridge scholar faced intense misogynistic backlash and even a rape threat after sharing that she had received her PhD

Image credits: Alena Darmel/Pexels (Not the actual photo)

A person asked: “Is this a parody?”

Someone else penned: “The politics of smell? That’s the best you could do?”

A viewer wrote: “Oh look, another woman getting a useless degree that does nothing for the furtherance of society. 

“Women would rather spend years pursuing stupid degrees that won’t fulfill them over a family that actually will.”

A netizen argued: “What an incredible waste of money and time.”

Image credits: DrAllyLouks

Nevertheless, other people came to Ally’s defense, as a cybernaut countered: “Massive W. Congratulations! 

“And thank you for making me learn the meaning of Olfactory (I’ll be taking more time to decipher the rest of the title).”

“Congratulations,” a commenter exclaimed. “A PhD is a big accomplishment. Ignore the negativity. Opinions are like backsides – we all have one!”

An observer stated: “It sounds super interesting!!! What a cool thing to research and unpack (also very cool that it’s pissed off the neckbeards, that’s how you know you’ve done it right).”

Taking to her X page (formerly known as Twitter) on November 27, Dr. Ally Louks shared a snap of herself holding her PhD thesis

I submitted my PhD thesis today 🥰 pic.twitter.com/3GCl0CMrEG

— Dr Ally Louks (@DrAllyLouks) June 25, 2024

A separate individual chimed in: “For those wondering, her PhD thesis (per abstract) is basically on why it’s racist and/or classist to not like it when people exhibit body odors consistent with poor hygiene.”

On Friday (November 29), Ally felt the need to clarify the subject of her work, as she wrote on X: “Since there is some confusion about the nature of my research, here is the abstract for my PhD thesis, which I hope will provide more context for anyone interested in learning more about my work!”

She subsequently shared a screenshot of her abstract, explaining how her thesis focused on literature’s engagement with the concept of smell and its social and political implications. 

Ally argued in her thesis that smell plays a crucial role in identity formation and societal structures, influencing class, gender, racial, and species power dynamics. 

Image credits: DrAllyLouks

Her thesis examined both positive and negative olfactory experiences in literary fiction, including themes of disgust, and desire, and their intersections with broader socio-political issues.

On Sunday (December 1), the English Literature scholar further clarified on X: “To be clear, this abstract was written for experts within my discipline and field. 

“It was not written for a lay audience and this is not how I would communicate my ideas to the average person.”

Her PhD thesis reads: “Olfactory Ethics: The Politics of Smell in Modern and Contemporary Prose”

Image credits: Cambridge University

Despite multiple attempts to explain her thesis to a broader audience on social media, Ally’s academic work continued to stir aggressive responses, to the point of receiving a rape threat.

Taking to her X page on Monday (December 2), Ally shared a screenshot of a worrisome email written by an infuriated man who claimed he and his friends would sexually assault her.

“To be clear, this is where I draw the line,” Ally wrote on X. “This is abhorrent and illegal and no one should ever have to deal with this.”

Image credits: DrAllyLouks

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Image credits: DrAllyLouks

She added: “It goes without saying, I have reported this to the police.”

Ally later announced: “I’m still genuinely bamboozled by the sheer volume of people entirely mischaracterizing the subject and argument of my thesis. 

“The words are there before them but their interpretation is on a separate plane of existence.”

Despite the impressive accomplishment, a slew of people seemingly took the news negatively

Image credits: DrAllyLouks

She continued: “Since this whole debacle has now hit the news, I think it’s worth drawing attention to the fact that most of those commenting and quote-tweeting are doing so with generosity, intellectual curiosity, and kindness.

“Of course, my post is not newsworthy; what is attracting the attention of the media is the way in which I have been treated by a minority of disgruntled folks.”

Finally, on Tuesday (December 3), Ally announced that she would depart the X platform to join Bluesky instead.

The recent mass exodus from X to Bluesky, especially among women and queer folks, has been driven by frustration with what some perceive as the platform’s growing toxicity and changes under Elon Musk’s ownership. 

Image credits: DrAllyLouks

Many longtime users, particularly those who enjoyed X’s supportive and community-driven atmosphere, found themselves overwhelmed by hate speech, misogyny, and harassment. 

“If you posted a photo of yourself, no matter how fully clothed, it would be retweeted by sad little men into their timelines full of p*rn and your inbox would explode with perverts,” blogger Fran wrote on November 24, recalling X’s change under Elon’s ownership.

“Hate speech was rife and unchallenged. After nine years of blogging, I’m hardened to all manner of criticism but f**k me, it was exhausting, having to block twenty, a hundred idiots a day,” Fran argued.

“Thrilled to say I passed my viva with no corrections and am officially PhDone,” Ally initially wrote

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Image credits: DrAllyLouks

She further revealed: “I’ve deleted the Twitter app icon on my phone, and I feel remarkably zen.

“I wouldn’t say it’s entirely the reason I’ve come off antidepressants in the last few weeks, but leaving that awful, toxic place certainly helps keep a sense of mental equilibrium.

“So, that’s where you’ll find me for the foreseeable – Over on Bluesky. I’ve requested my Twitter archive, and as soon as it’s downloaded, I’m out of that awful place for good.”

Several celebrities, including Gigi Hadid and Elton John, announced their decision to leave X since the social media platform was acquired by Tesla’s boss.

President-elect Donald Trump’s recent appointment of the SpaceX founder as the new head of the Department of Government Efficiency—alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy—has sparked a new exodus, as artists express concerns about the platform losing its independence and serving the interests of a political party, Bored Panda previously reported.

Thrilled to say I passed my viva with no corrections and am officially PhDone. pic.twitter.com/4qwCyFYocX

— Dr Ally Louks (@DrAllyLouks) November 27, 2024

On November 15, Elon changed the company’s terms and service, requiring that disputes between users and X must be “brought exclusively in the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas, or state courts located in Tarrant County, Texas,” which the Washington Post described as “a hub for conservatives.”

Citing increasing hate speech and misinformation on the platform, many stars migrated to Bluesky, an alternative network that follows X’s microblogging model.

Bored Panda has contacted Ally for comment.

Ally’s PhD news continued to ignite divided reactions

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