Recently, a friend asked me if I considered myself to be a feminist. Without hesitation, I replied, "Of course." She looked at me like I was a little crazy, her eyebrows raised while confusion passed through her face. She said I didn't seem like the other "feminists" she knew because they were always easily offended and highly opinionated.

Feminism is often disregarded as a radicalized movement created to suppress men. Some argue that feminism is no longer needed because women are practically equal to men. This is not true. Intersectional feminism is a movement based on equality across all lines, and it is the kind of feminism I believe in. So to everyone asking, "Why are you a feminist?", I say:

I am a feminist because I believe in equality for every human being.

I am a feminist because women overall are paid 80 cents for every dollar paid to men, and this gap widens with race. Black women are paid 63 cents and Latinas are paid 54 cents for every dollar.

I am a feminist because one in five women will experience sexual assault in college.

I am a feminist because when a woman is sexually assaulted while wearing revealing clothing, they were “asking for it.”

I am a feminist because society teaches women ways to avoid getting raped instead of teaching men to not rape.

I am a feminist because the phrase “boys will be boys” is still an acceptable excuse.

I am a feminist because it is possible for men to be raped by women, and men’s sexual violence is just as significant as women’s.

I am a feminist because transwomen of color are murdered for their identity every year.

I am a feminist because domestic violence is the leading cause of violence for women between the ages of 15 and 44.

I am a feminist because young girls are denied education everyday due to poverty in developing countries.

I am a feminist because men should be allowed to express their emotions. Traditional toxic masculinity pressures men to suppress their feelings and avoid “feminine” ways of life.

I am a feminist because young boys should be able to dress up as princesses and young girls should be able to play with monster trucks.

I am a feminist because fathers should have access to paternity leave and, if they wish, become stay-at-home fathers.

I am a feminist because women do not have to have children or raise a family to feel complete.

I am a feminist because human trafficking and sex slavery still exists.

I am a feminist because the sexualization of the female body is prevalent everywhere, from school dress codes to magazine covers.

I am a feminist because my friends and I get catcalled by older men in broad daylight.

I am a feminist because I don’t feel safe walking alone to my car at night.

I am a feminist because my parents didn’t feel safe sending me off to college without pepper spray on my keychain.

I am a feminist because female genital mutilation exists.

I am a feminist because sexual harassment constantly occurs in the workplace.

I am a feminist because LGBTQIA women deserve the same opportunities as straight women.

I am a feminist because women all over the world deserve free access to birth control.

I am not a feminist because I hate men.

I am not a feminist because I believe women are inherently superior to men.

I am not a feminist because I want special treatment for identifying as a woman.

I am a feminist because I believe in equality. Intersectional feminism is neither toxic nor radicalized. It is human beings standing in solidarity with one other, regarding each other as equals.