Feminism. Those that know it, love it. Those that don't love it, simply don't understand it. The question should no longer be why feminism is a "thing", but rather, why people are so afraid to claim it.
At some point, the word "feminism" became synonymous with "man-hater" or, even worse, penis envy. Women created feminism because they needed something to complain about, right? Not because it took until 1920 for women to gain the basic civil right to vote. Not because in 2018 a woman can't make the same amount of money doing the same job as a man. Not because women are being ridiculed for coming forward and speaking about something as personal as sexual assault.
The definition of feminism doesn't contain man-hating and superiority. It is actually defined as the theory of political, social, and economic equality of the sexes. Feminism doesn't exclude men, it instead utilizes the inclusion of men in creating equal ground. Women don't want to be better, they want to be equal.
Feminism is not a trend.
Feminists are not out to take the power from you. The real question is, why is equality so scary? The process of questioning traditional values is always followed by denial. Men, and even some women, are so afraid to accept feminism because they are afraid to admit that what is happening, is wrong.
People would rather get angry at a woman for what she wears than get mad at the men that assault her. Somehow, we are still blaming women for things that they have no control over.
If you say you support women's rights, but do not call yourself a feminist, then you are part of the problem. The problem isn't "supporting" women, it's advocating for them, and using your power to create an even playing field for everyone.
It's easy to agree, but it's not easy to do something about it.
I used to be one of those people that didn't understand why feminism is important. Of course, I believed women should have equal rights, but why did we need to put a label on it?
Why was I so afraid of the word? Because I was afraid of the power behind it.
The point of feminism isn't for every single woman to be a leader, it is simply the power to have the freedom of choice. Some women will even reject the word "feminism," claiming it interferes with their beliefs because it calls for the woman to hold the power in a household or to take on a responsibility that isn't hers. However, that is not feminism.
Yes, there are women leaders. Yes, a woman finally became the nominee for the Presidency of the United States. Yes, women have the opportunity to get an education and change the world. So, why get so focused on terminology? If women are getting what they want, then what is the problem?
The problem is, feminism is not what you think. It's more than just equal pay. Being a feminist does not mean rejecting all of the things that make you feminine, it means being able to choose who you want to be, and not have more trouble to obtain it. It is the idea that woman should be able to choose. If a woman wants to be a stay at home mom, then girl you go raise that child. If a woman wants to run her own company, then she should be able to do it.
If feminists are not man haters, then why are some of them so angry? Well, if you had to wait to vote, work ten times harder for the same job as your counterpart, and have to be taught how to not get assaulted, then maybe you would be angry too.