It's important to start off by acknowledging that feminism is a touchy subject, especially today in 2018. However, it's nearly always been the touchy subjects that have driven the world forward and into new ways of thinking and treating others. That is where my respect for the feminist movement lies.

I can do nothing but smile when I read about the 1960's/1970's ladies that took it upon themselves to break the yoke of masculine oppression. Those women were iron-jawed and took it upon themselves to make a better world for their daughters after them.

Then we have the modern-day version of feminism which seems to be a radically different beast than its 1960's\1970's counterpart. The discrepancy between the two time-periods seems subtle, but to me, they are worlds apart. Whereas the 60's/70's movement was one of empowerment for women, it seems that the modern movement is one to emasculate men.

Yes, you read that right, emasculate the one creature on the planet that is meant to be complete, entirely, confidently masculine. It seems that the current feminist view is one of man-hating and everything men do--including opening doors for women.

For example, my husband is one of the most chivalrous men you will ever meet and he holds the doors open for whoever is approaching, be it men, women, children, etc. He's recounted the familiar tale of holding a door open for a woman just to have her blow by him, like he's some sort of living, breathing doorstop.

It may be a stretch to claim that the feminist movement is responsible for this callous attitude, but it doesn't seem unrelated either. It seems that men have been so deeply slandered that the respect that they are owed (after holding a door open, for example) is simply tossed aside like a worn-out sock. When I say respect, I mean simply using your vocal cords to utter the phrase, "Thank you."

Yes, I realize that many women reading this now may be thinking, "I don't owe men any respect until they earn it." If that's your view, then how can you expect a man to respect you if you are nothing but a cold, insolent woman? In my limited experience, men don't exactly jump on the opportunity to admire someone that treats them like dirt.

In a way, men have been left behind in the fray to deal with their strangled masculinity. The 1980's/1990's were all about phrases such as, "You go girl," and "You don't need no man to be something." That's true. Women don't need men to do something with their lives. But, likewise, men don't need women to do something with their lives either. We compliment each other, however, and soften the prickly parts of one another.

Our culture has so fervently embraced the feminist movement that men and masculinity have been left in a destructive wake. What were once treasured masculine attributes such as bravery, responsibility, toughness, and durability are now cast aside in favor of what were once more feminine traits. Men are forgetting what their role in the world is.

Next up, reverse sexism. You know I had to bring it up eventually. My co-worker and I were recently discussing an issue that had occurred at her spouse's workplace. He's a Correctional Officer in a state prison and was tased "playfully" be a female correctional officer. Let's tally the evidence, shall we?

1. A taser is not a toy, nor should it be used as one.

2. What if he had to use the tasered appendage to, I don't know, wrestle an unruly inmate to the ground? Yes, it happens.

3. If he'd have been a woman, and she a man, sexual assault suits would have been flying through the mail like Christmas bundt cakes.

I fail to see where the justice is in a case like that. My coworker's husband didn't appreciate being tased "playfully" by his workmate and doesn't deserve such reckless abandon.

The argument could be made that, if women had never fought back in the first place, we'd been stuck in pre-feminist America. I whole-hardheartedly agree. What I disagree with is the modern view of men that seems to prevail. So, perhaps it isn't a feminist issue at all. Perhaps my squabble is with anti-masculinity.

There are undoubtedly women and men out there who feel similarly, and we should be striving for equality. Equality, however, seems to be an elusive pray and the world is still trying to figure out where it belongs. All we can do is stand for what is right, for both sexes. If we do that, we'll be one step closer to equality.