The Merriam-Webster Dictionary's full definition of feminism is, "The theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes." Unfortunately, so many people have a distorted idea of what true feminism is. This not only makes it difficult for us to truly move forward as a species, but it's infuriating for anyone who has ever found themselves having to explain what feminism is or argue why everyone should be feminist.

Sometimes you just have to take a step back so you don't lose your cool.

So, why do so many people think negatively of the term?

Sadly, there are way too many women who have gotten it in their heads that because we have been the lesser sex for so long, we are deserving of retribution. They have decided to focus more on revenge than creating an actual equality.

Misandry is a term that describes a hatred of men, or reverse-sexism, and it has been much too closely associated with feminism. So many women that I have met in my life have vehemently denied being a feminist because they don't want to be labeled as a man-hater, yet when asked, they believe women deserve fair wages, are misrepresented in the media or should be allowed to make their own decisions about their lives. Well, I gotta tell ya, if you believe any of this, you're a feminist.

We need feminism.

Without it, how are we ever to expect men to stop assuming that, just because we're angry, we're on our period, that we're controlled by our emotions or that we should all want children or spouses? Do we want to go back to being married off by 14 years old? Do we want to go back to a time when schooling for women was about housecleaning and how not to embarrass our husband/father/son when in public?

No.

But that doesn't mean we want men to totally leave politics, earn more money with their bodies than their brains or meddle in their life decisions. (Those aren't real issues, right?)

But how do we fix this? How do we actually turn this misconception around and show what it really means to be a feminist?

First, we have to stand together, united, with a common goal. Even with all of the amazing steps we have taken as a society, we still have a long way to go. We can't be pointing fingers at one another in insult or superiority.

How can we expect to get anything done if we don't stand as a united force?

Another way to help your fellow woman is never, ever, let any man tell you that you're being radical or overly sensitive. I can't tell you how many times I have started talking about how far we still have to go as a gender or call out a sexist comment, even if I'm calm and rational or even have a smile on my face, and a guy will get this look like I need to stop or tells me I need to learn to take a joke. I practically have to speak in an apologetic tone to get them to actually hear me. This is another aspect of feminist recoil. All this does is make me angry, especially when I wasn't and they act like I was. I'll show you a shrew.

Allowing anyone to make you feel embarrassed or shy about speaking up only perpetuates the problems you're trying to stand up for.

So, even though some of us may shy away from being called a feminist, I resolve to shout it in the face of anyone who would call it wrong or hateful. In respect of all women, I will always try to educate anyone who thinks of it adversely and speak out against those who give us a bad name.