Don't be alarmed, this article is by no means a manifesto on what Feminism is, and my word is by no means law. This is my opinion, a way for me to put my thoughts out there and be a part of the social discourse to play my part as a global citizen. Now then, let's get started.

In my 19 years, I have been very fortunate. My parents have never deterred me from following my dreams; if anything, they pushed me to dream big and dared me to accomplish those dreams. My parents used to say I can do anything as long as I set my mind to it.

For this, I will forever be grateful to my parents because they changed the way I viewed the world. There is an entire world waiting out there, and I was ready to stamp my name in the history books at the age of 10. Looking back, I realize I naturally looked up to strong women growing up; Hermione Granger, Marie Curie and my mom.

Hermione Granger taught me to stay true to myself and fight for what I believe in. Marie Curie sparked my love for the sciences and taught me that sometimes you need to pave your own path. Finally, my mom taught me how to dream, how to get past failure, how to fight, how to love and how to be a strong woman. These role models helped me become a better person and, in my opinion, played a large role in shaping my views on social issues such as feminism today.

With all the rhetoric going on it's hard to understand what being a 21st-century feminist means. Everyone has their own opinions on the topic so here's me just adding in my two cents.

First of all, I do NOT hate men, and I do not think that women are better than men. The first thing about feminism is that it stands for equality; not just equality for women, but for everyone. Everyone, regardless of gender, should be treated fairly and should not be judged because of who they are.

This is what feminism is based on, and this is what it still stands for, no matter how misconstrued it has become through the years.

Second, men can be feminists too. You don't need to be female to be a feminist. Everyone is welcome to join in the fight for equality. However, it is each person's individual choice.

As a feminist, I welcome others with open arms, but that doesn't mean I berate those whose ideologies don't match up with mine. The entire idea of equality deals with being able to voice your opinion and have a discussion about these differing ideologies.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Finally, radical feminism does not justly portray what feminism is or can be. Honestly, radical anything ends up hurting people rather than helping. I urge you not to judge a cause based on its radicals; research what the foundations of feminism are –– don't let the extremes deter you from something that isn't actually that bad.

All in all, the whole idea of feminism is not to hurt people or cause conflict. Feminism grows from the idea of equality for everyone, both on a local and global scale. For me, being a feminist doesn't mean I berate you for your opinions or for who you are, it means I welcome your opinions with an open mind and hope we can have a discussion about our differing ideologies.

At the end of the day, people should be allowed to be people.