This past week, I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed when I came across the article, "Why I Won't Be Called a Feminist," and it caught my eye. I clicked on the link and read it in its entirety, extremely intrigued by what this writer had to say.

A little background information: I consider myself a feminist. Not a man-hating woman who believes we should have more rights than men (that's not what the movement is about), but a woman who believes that both men and women have unfair expectations, stereotypes, and treatment that needs to change.

What I liked most about this article was that Ott ended it with, "What do you think?" which means that she's open to conversation. So that's what I would really like to do in this article: converse my thoughts about what she had written in a respectful way, and get the conversation going about feminism, and if we really still need it.

* Reading Ott's article is highly recommended for the purpose of this article*

Her disclaimer note...

I respected her first two paragraphs a lot, because there is a lot of truth in them. Writing on a controversial article is no easy task, and I appreciated that she took the time to say that she was sharing her personal opinion, and that she didn't speak for others. Her last sentence before she goes into her first point ends with, "...I am not willing to be grouped with the feminist movement just yet." Ultimately, that set up her article to be read with an open mind, which is something that I love.

Ott writes as her first sentence, "If the feminist movement was more refined, I'd be a proud part of it." And I agree. Feminism can have a very sour stereotype in society sometimes, and there are a lot of misconceptions about it. This is something that I would like to see change in the future, and that will take time and effort. It will also take strong-willed activists to show what the true movement of feminism is all about, which is why I choose to still be a part of the movement.

1. Not wanting to be objectified by men, while still objectifying men.

I would just like to say that I completely agree with Ott on this point. It is unfair for some women to say they don't want to be objectified, and then turning around objectifying men. If women want respect, they have to give it right back; it's the golden rule: treat others the way you want to be treated. And it's hard to do sometimes, but if we want change to happen, we are the ones that are going to have to do it. Women are not the only ones that have unrealistic expectations to live up to when it comes to their appearances. This is a relatively new conversation that has started up: bringing men into the feminist movement. It's hard, it's often looked at as a joke, but I think it is so important that we look at the stereotypes and hardships men also go through with societal standards.

I think a great example of this is when Emma Watson gave her HeforShe speech in September of 2014. She focuses on why men should consider themselves feminists, and with this line, "I’ve seen men made fragile and insecure by a distorted sense of what constitutes male success. Men don’t have the benefits of equality either," Watson shows that she wants to make these changes because she knows that it will bring us closer to gender equality.

For both men and women, we have a long way to go with objectification. I know that, I've lived it, and I've seen it. To me, this is a worthy cause to call myself a feminist.

2. Wanting to empower other women and build them up, while hating women who don't want to call themselves feminists.

I get this point. I really do. I know there are some really passionate people out there who don't necessarily try to see where other people are coming from because they believe their way is the right way. And that's sometimes how life goes; we can't always have a conversation that will end with agreement. And that is okay.

I don't hate people who don't consider themselves feminists: I only try to understand where they're coming from and in turn I hope that they hear what I have to say as well. Starting a dialogue is a great way to see new perspectives and learn more about the world. We each come from a different upbringing, education, and background: that's something that we need to respect and remember instead of getting angry when people don't agree with our opinions.

3. Seeking equality between men and women, while stereotyping men as dumb, narrow-minded caveman individuals.

I know this is sometimes a tricky subject with feminism. Man-hating has become synonymous with feminism because often times, men don't see what women are trying to change, and that can be frustrating. And it's not their fault: different perceptions of life create different perceptions of reality. It's all about explaining our point of view without getting angry. I think that's something that needs to happen, that when men don't see our point of view, we can't get lose our temper right away. I've found with talking to my guy friends that instead of blowing up at them, talking to them and hearing their point of view really helps both of us understand where we're coming from.

My best guy friend and I had a disagreement about a Bloomingdale's ad that insinuated date rape in my opinion, but to him, he didn't necessarily see it that way. After much discussion and explaining, we came to the realization that we each had a different interpretation of the word "spiking." To me, spiking a drink means that a date rape drug was put in the drink, whereas he thought that spiking a drink only meant putting alcohol into the mix. That was eye-opening to both of us, because it shows that both of us were educated differently about this topic, and that boys and girls are taught different things when it comes to parties, alcohol, and the "date rape" culture. It's hard to be open and receptive when someone doesn't see where you're coming from right away, but it is possible for men and women to discuss these topics without stereotyping men as "dumb, narrow-minded caveman individuals."

4. Wanting to be able to wear whatever they want without being treated differently for it.

I see where Ott is coming from, but I found myself disagreeing with some of the points she makes. She is right when she said that this subject is a tricky one. But women have been oppressed for centuries, their physical appearance and clothing being one of the main contenders. It's still something that we struggle with in today's society, and I believe that we shouldn't have to police what we wear in fear of other human beings not being able to control themselves. We are not the factor in the equation that needs to change.

I may not like to show a lot of skin, wear tight clothes, or show off my body, but women should have the right to wear whatever they want without the fear of being talked down to or assaulted. That fear that Ott writes about, I've felt that same fear, and I know other women have as well. That's the problem in this situation, the fact that there are still people out there who feel entitled to whoever they want without asking permission. I could go on for paragraphs and paragraphs on this subject, but the bottom line is that no woman gets dressed for the day/night thinking or hoping that her outfit will get her raped, sexually assaulted, or catcalled. A woman's outfit choice, because it is her choice, no matter how scandalous or revealing or form-fitting is still no excuse or no invitation for others to help themselves.

I think another factor that we need to look at is the fashion industry, the ones who are making the clothes, the ones who are dictating what's in and what's out, and the ones that are using sexuality as a way to sell their merchandise. I think they have a lot to do with this topic, and maybe we need to bring them into the conversation.

5. Pushing for equal rights when we already have them, while simultaneously drowning out more important issues.

I guess this is another point I disagree with. We may be able to vote, run for office, compete in sports, and go to college like men, but we still have a very long way to go when it comes to reaching gender equality. The 2016 Rio Olympics has been under fire for the sexist comments that have been made throughout the games, and the infamous Stanford Swimmer Turner Rape Case stunned millions as a 20 year-old convicted rapist was only sentenced to six months in jail, and will be released early. This is the year 2016, these things happened this year. I'm sorry, but this is not equality.

I'm not saying that feminism trumps all other social justice issues. The riots that have been happening in my city, Milwaukee, prove that we still suffer from the horrors of racism and we need to find a better solution to peace and equality. Milwaukee is one of the top cities in America for human trafficking, which yes, is related to the feminist movement, and needs to have more attention from the general public instead of turning a blind eye. And that's just in the United States. There is a lot to be done in our world, but when there is a movement that is trying to bridge the gap of respect and equality, I don't see how putting feminism on the back burner is helping out the world.

All in all, I thought Ott's article was well written with some very legitimate points. I agreed and disagreed with some of her ideas, and I appreciated that she felt confident enough in her beliefs to write about her feelings on the subject of feminism.

Karoline, I sincerely hope that the feminist movement is something you still consider in the future, because it seems like you're on the fence, and that you have what it takes to be a leader and role model. You seem like a strong woman with strong ideas, and I admire that. I challenge you to think of the possibility of calling yourself a feminist and think about how to raise awareness in order to protect women, which already seems to be a goal of yours. You may think that some of the subjects that other feminists care about aren't important, but that doesn't mean you can't be a strong feminist that has passions in other areas of the movement.

I know that feminism has a bit of a tarnished name, but instead of shying away from it, why not be a positive example of what you want feminism to be about? Show people that feminism isn't about man-hating, and show people that gender equality in all aspects of the term is attainable. As Mahatma Gandhi famously said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."

If not, I understand and still respect Ott's opinions. Maybe feminism will be renamed, maybe it will get to the point where it's so tarnished that we can't make a comeback. But I have hope. I believe we are entering a new, fourth wave of feminism, and I believe with role models and leaders like Emma Watson, we have a great chance at making a difference.

So Karoline Ott, thank you for sharing your opinions with the world. I hope this article finds you and you read it with the same mindset I read your article with, and I hope we find ways in the future to change the world. Because as Watson says in her speech, "if not me, who, if not now, when."