Many like to argue that the current generation spends an unhealthy amount of time in the virtual world, and in some cases, they may not be wrong. However, I firmly believe that the Internet has given my generation the amazing opportunity to foster new ideas and educate themselves on issues from all over the world. Many of the Internet's most trafficked websites are dedicated to the sharing of opinions and ideas, such as Reddit and Facebook. In many ways, the Internet has created a much more tolerant and open mindset for my own generation. On the other hand, I am constantly amazed by the amount ignorance that I come across on platforms where there is so much information available for one to educate themselves with.

Especially in the past few months, it seems that there has been an explosion of reporting on issues that deal with feminism, women's rights, and gender equality or the lack thereof. From misogynistic remarks made by Presidential candidate Donald Trump to the never-ending coverage on the rape case involving Brock Turner and his unnamed female victim, as a society we have been navigating the choppy virtual waters of feminism and gender inequality a lot this past year. I believe that an open rhetoric on these topics is extremely important. However, the amount of opinions formed through twisted and illogical thinking remains unnervingly high considering the information available for consumption.

As I browse community-based forum websites like Reddit or 9Gag, I continually come across posts or comments made by both men and women with veins of intense misogyny and misunderstanding of what feminism truly means. From the subreddit /r/antifeminists on Reddit.com to the Meninist movement, while they are trying to discredit the feminism, to me it simply seems that these ideas are their way of vocalizing that the current system of gender equality isn't working for them either. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, feminism is defined as "the theory of political, economic, and social equality of the sexes". Therefore, if you are a man and feel that you are not being treated fairly or being treated differently because of your gender, feminism is the idea that this mistreatment is not ok. For example:

I wish I could tell this internet user that he is right, it's pretty much impossible to live up to those expectations, and also that I feel the same way about how much of the media represents the female form. Therefore, the current system in place is not working for either of us. The solution to that lies in the movement of feminism. Feminism equates to common sense. I believe that if you discredit the idea of feminism, you are simply misunderstanding it.

I credit much of my understanding of feminism to the Internet's accessibility and the people there who share their voices, whether I agree with them or not. We have the world's most powerful tool of understanding and education at our fingertips. I suggest that we start using it to discuss rather than argue, and listen rather than defend.