Dear Brianna Lyman,

I stumbled across your “I Am A Woman And There Is No War Against Me” article and was actually baffled. I actually viewed your entire profile and went through your politically controversial articles. I’ll give it to you to even have the guts to air out such views because they’re going to get backlash and criticism.

Well here’s my criticism and concern.

I’ve been vocal about my views in person and all through social media but now Odyssey is going to get more of a taste of it and so are you.

Why do entitled American individuals feel the need to validate their actions by comparing themselves to the world and pointing fingers? Don’t compare cultures and regions to your own to try and find validity and ignore the issues that are in present society.

Fine, you know what? You’re right about Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and all the other countries around the world that devalue women.Those countries are built on tradition and some are willing to adapt to mainstream ideals and some aren't. But this country does too.

That’s the reason why we fight.

Why we as people fight. Why we as humans fight. Why we as women fight.

The war on women in the United States is not “laughable”.

We as women are not equal to men in the United States. You, Brianna Lyman, wrote an article on the wage gap between men and women and you wrote about although there are numbers to prove it. But you mentioned a second part, how there are reasons why this happen — which I agree with. But you never gave a call to action. Like the many men that surround me, you said the truth and said here are the facts we have and let go of our “alternative facts.”

What I’ve realized from your article is you mention, “I” a lot. You’re insinuating a lot of your argument based off your experiences and your beliefs. “I can have an abortion..” You can have an abortion and I’m assuming it’s because you can afford it. The opportunity is there, but do we as women of poverty have the opportunity to afford it? Rarely.

That’s why we fight.

Miss USA 2017, Miss DC Kara McCullough received backlash about her comments toward health care and feminism. When asked about what she thought if affordable health care is right or a privilege for U.S. citizens, the nuclear chemist said, “I’m definitely going to say it’s a privilege. As a government employee, I am granted healthcare. And I see firsthand that for one to have healthcare, you need to have jobs. So, therefore, we need to continue to cultivate this environment that we’re given the opportunities to have health care as well as jobs to all the American citizens worldwide.”

She said a mouthful - let’s break it down.

A government employee is telling the American people that affordable health care is a privilege.

A privilege is defined as a right or advantage that is only available to a certain group of people. Miss DC feels those who are employed should be the only ones who deserve affordable healthcare. This conversation is a major issue that needs to change.

Women always have the disadvantage with healthcare.

Biologically, we require more attention. We deserve equal respect in a doctor’s office. We shouldn’t have to worry about our health and how to pay for it.

The only way to do anything is to have good health. Hypothetically if anyone were to stop working, then their health is bound to go down too. It’s a direct relationship that the government will not even consider thinking twice of.

Which is why women want to change that.

When asked about the feminism, Miss USA 2017 said, “So, as a woman scientist in the government, I’ve liked to lately transpose the word ‘feminism’ to ‘equalism.’ I don’t really want to consider myself… I try not to consider myself like this die-hard, you know, like, ‘Oh I don’t really care about men…’ But one thing I’m going to say is, though, women we are just as equal to men when it comes to opportunity in the workplace. and I say first-hand I have witnessed the impact that women have in leadership in the medical sciences as well as just in the office environment. So, as Miss USA I would hope to promote that type of leadership responsibility globally to many women worldwide.”

The feminist movement is NOT anti-men.

The war against women is against each other. We have women who agree with McCullough and say, "feminists are too extreme.”

Women who have power, who have a voice, who have the attention of others are known as a bitch. There’s no harm in advocating for equality for women but to devalue women is the issue. Brianna, you have done the same.

Instead of calling to action a solution and creating compromise you shift gears and are inconsistent.

Now it’s your turn:

Say it with me now: “I don’t have equal rights to my male counterparts. I feel less than. I have every right to. And because of this, I want to fight against it. I am a woman and there is a war against me.”

"Doesn’t that feel nice?"