Disclaimer: I am in no way an anti-feminist. Likewise, I am not a feminist, either.

I don’t have to identify as something to constitute my beliefs. I choose not to make it a part of my identity. By labeling myself according to the world's standards, I give in to exactly what everyone’s telling me. In my stubborn ways, I refuse to let society tell me what I should and shouldn’t believe. As a woman, there’s a lot of pressure to be a feminist. There’s this preconceived notion that if you are born a girl, you have to be a feminist. It’s your duty as a female. If you aren’t a feminist, are you even a woman? Are you even human? Just because I happen to be a lady doesn’t mean I choose to involve myself in the institution that is feminism.

That being said, women should have the right to choose. If I choose not to label myself a feminist, as a person in support of women, you should respect that. While we both believe in equality among the sexes, we choose to go about it in different ways. I can speak and support feministic ideals, but I don't have to lump myself into its category.

Feminism has meant different things throughout the 20th and 21st century. In an article about feminism vs. anti-feminism, the author explains three different waves of feminism. First, during the late 1800s through the 1920s, feminism stood for women's suffrage. The second wave in the 60s and 70s, expressed the sexual revolution and sought abortion rights. The third wave, contemporary feminism, emphasizes biological facts as social constructs, arguing that things that are innate in women are merely products of social construction. In this way, feminism now attempts to eliminate traditional thought.

In contemporary feminism, I believe that women are losing their uniqueness. We are not made to do what men can; we are made to do what men can’t. That’s something I see in the feminism agenda. Sometimes we forget that together men and women are complete. I hold some traditional beliefs that are not popular in this era. A woman should have the freedom to be stay-at-home mother, just as much as a woman should have the freedom to have a career.

Something that some feminists fail to realize is that there are extremists that give feminism a bad name. There are extremes to every ideology. And it’s important to recognize that, just as its important to realize that not every member thinks the same way. So, when people roll their eyes or grumble at your claim as a feminist, before you go off on a rant, think about where they’re coming from. Yeah, it might be “ignorant” of them to assume, but it’s “ignorant” to not recognize the fact that the loudest feminist voices are those of radicals. For example, when actress Kaley Cuoco made a statement that she likes to "serve'' her man, some feminists attacked her for her traditional choices. Instead of empowering her as a fellow women, they put her down for choosing to be a housewife. That's not equality. That's oppression. Let your voice be a break in that madness.

The fact that this institution is full of people who hold a multitude of views is a big reason I don’t wear an F on my sleeve. A coalition of men and women who believe different things that are sometimes contradictory and other times just plain hateful is not something I will identify with. I am set in my ways, and I don’t desire to be a part of such a broad spectrum of ideologies. I know what I believe; that's all that matters. To me, calling myself a feminist is unnecessary validation. For example, I am many things, but I don't need them all to be recognized and tattooed on me for them to be a part of me. I don't need a label to validate my beliefs.

I believe you should have the freedom to choose your identity. You do you, boo boo.