I find that as feminists, we get a lot of mixed signals. We’re told that if we’re a feminist, we have to be pro-choice, or we have to vote a certain way or act a certain way. It can get so confusing at times, which makes me question my feminist identity. I start to think, do the aspects that I believe disqualify myself from being called a true feminist?

When we hear the word “feminism,” what comes to mind? We think of angry women walking around and yelling in the middle of Times Square, holding protest signs. That’s not always the case. Most of the time, it’s quite the opposite. The media depicts only radical feminists, which most of us are truly not. Most of us would be considered liberal feminisms, but the world understands no difference.

Let's learn, shall we?

First, let's define feminism in general. The term itself has the global idea that refers to the belief that men and women deserve equality in all opportunities, treatment, respect and social rights. In today's society the main form of inequality is racial, which undermines the significance of gender inequality that is present in a substantial amount. Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based on their gender. It arises from differences in socially constructed gender roles. Although the term has a global definition, feminism comes in different types.

Take a look at the different kinds of feminism.

The first type of feminism is radical feminism. This type is the stereotypical definition of feminism as I mentioned before. Radicals believe that sexism exists so deep in society that it could only be remedied if the concept gender was completely out of the picture. Radical feminists want to abolish the patriarchal society by challenging existing social norms and institutions, rather than through a purely political process. This extreme sort of feminism seeks to eliminate male supremacy in social and political concepts.

The second type is socialist feminism, which is less extreme. This basically shows how capitalism is the root cause of all the problems. Capitalism and patriarchy are intertwined, and as a result, women are locked in a never-ending cycle that makes them submissive and docile to men. Due to these gender roles (society’s expectations of how males and females should act and think), women have always been the center of oppression. Capitalism intensifies male domination because capitalism creates more wealth, which confers greater power on men as owners of property and as primary wage earners. Socialist feminists think men are given more money and power, making the inequality stronger.

The third type of feminism is cultural feminism. This is derived from radical feminism, but is different in many ways. Cultural feminists basically focuses more on the concept of “female nature” or “female essence.” They believe that aggression, masculinity and competitiveness, should be replaced with feminine behavior instead, which would benefit the equality in society greatly.

The last and most common form of feminism is liberal feminism. Liberal feminism focuses on women's capability to uphold their equality through their own actions and choices. Women just want to be integrated within society with no extra measures taken. They want to be able to do everything a man can do, both socially and politically. Liberal feminists want women side-to-side by men, not under, not over.

Now that you had your mini lesson about feminism, what do you think? Are you a feminist? If you ask me, we should all be feminists. All they want is equality in society. Just decide what type of feminist would you want to be labeled as.