Feminism has always been misunderstood. Even today as social injustices are constantly being thrown in our faces through the media, feminism carries negative connotations it doesn't deserve. It isn't just about men and women; it's about equality for all and looking at life through an intersectional lens.

A lot of people embody the values of feminism, but fear the stigmas associated with identifying as a feminist. It's unfortunate these stigmas hold people back from joining a community embroidered with positive goals for society. Especially men.

I once attended a lecture with sociologist Dr. Michael Kimmel called "Man Up," which focused on how feminism benefits men. He told us a story about an experience he had when he guest lectured for a colleague of his who taught a class with feminist ideals. The colleague happened to be a woman. When he walked into the lecture hall that day and was introduced to the class, a young man spoke up and said, "Finally, an objective opinion."

Finally an objective opinion. When women start to talk about feminism, everyone tunes out because of course you would care about feminism. You're a woman! But if a man talks about it, it's objective and easier to believe.

Dr. Kimmel proceeded to back-up every single topic his colleague had been teaching the entire semester, and no one questioned his credibility because he was a man. But there's something really great about men like Dr. Kimmel. They use their privilege to speak out about feminist issues because they know people will listen to them. What better way to use the power they have than to spread awareness about issues people generally brush off as women's issues?

Because feminism is NOT just women's issues. It's men's issues as well, and if you watch Dr. Kimmel's TED Talk, you'll understand why.

So when I discovered an essay for "Glamour" last week called "This Is What A Feminist Looks Like" written by President Obama I. Was. Ecstatic. Our President, the man holding the highest position in our country, declared himself a feminist and was speaking out about it.

In his essay, he says while our fight to create change concerning women's rights has been hard, "the most important change may be the toughest of all — and that's changing ourselves." This is so important and so true. Consider the stigmas associated with being a feminist. They're all negative. It took me a while to be comfortable saying I'm a feminist, and sometimes I find myself almost apologizing for diverting into a feminist argument when talking to people. But if you're able to overcome the negativity others impose on you and embrace the positivity of being a feminist, then you've overcome your first and toughest obstacle. You're then left to fight for the issues you believe in wholeheartedly.

Obama displays his vast understanding of feminism in his essay by touching on issues concerning men, women and intersectionality. He talks about how important it is that he embraces his feminist identify for the sake of his daughters "because now that's what they expect of all men." He explains how Michelle is constantly conscience of the fact that black women are often viewed as more aggressive and how she works hard to avoid that stereotype. He condemns the idea that fathers should be praised for successfully changing their child's diaper or mocked for being a stay-at-home dad.

This is what makes me proud to be a feminist; proud to be a part of something our President stands for. Feminism is an issue close to the hearts of many people across our country, and I think having the most powerful and influential man in our country fighting with us is something we can all say we're proud of.