There is good and bad to everything, every belief, every value, every group, every idea. You can have a good part and a bad part. You can have good people and bad people. Saying this, that doesn't mean the world is black and white. And knowing this and understanding these ideas, this is why I get so annoyed when people lump all feminists together into a horrible box full of horrid stereotypes.

Not long ago, I got a message from someone in my hometown that started with the words "the annoying feminists in my class are driving me insane." The message then went on to complain about something completely unrelated to feminism. This message kind of bothered me.

Before I go any further in this, I should say that while that message bothered me, I also understood it. It sounded like something I would have said a year ago. Before I realized how important feminism could be in my life, I used to have the same stereotypes that are prevalent.

I used to think all or at least most feminists were just like the few feminists on the internet that give the entire movement a bad name. I used to think that was every feminist. That everybody was that annoying about it. That it was an entirely corrupted movement.

Then I came to college. I got to meet some feminists who weren't like the internet feminists. I also got to hear some reasons why I need feminism. While it makes me sad that I still need it in 2017, it is true. I am in a field that is primarily dominated by white males. While I am fortunate to never had experienced this, it is not uncommon for men to say that women can't be in my field and can't succeed.

I am not saying I don't understand the viewpoint behind the stereotypes. I used to have that exact same view. I am just tired of these stereotypes still existing. I wish it would be possible for people to see the good in a movement instead of the bad image of a few people.