Before you click away because you are expecting to read another man-hating, angry feminazi rant, stop to think about why you are associating these things with feminism. By definition, feminism is social, economic, and political equality between women and men. Sounds pretty simple, right?
That's because in this form, feminism really is that simple. So much of what has shaped the societal view of feminism is from stories of radical feminism. While these feminists are successful at making their point in ways that are shocking enough to gain attention, oftentimes, the everyday person doesn't always respond so well to them.
Because people don't want to be associated with these forms of radical feminism, they often say they don't agree with feminism. Even women's views are sometimes anti-feminist, simply because their perceptions have been so skewed. After hearing so many stories they don't agree with, one may explain that they don't want to be a feminist because they believe in equality instead, or that they like men. In this case, feminism is being confused with misandry, or the hatred of men. A true feminist would explain they, in fact, do not hate or harbor any negative feelings toward men. All they are striving for is equality, not superiority, to men.
Modern feminism also aims to be inclusive of other groups of people as well. No longer is feminism primarily just an issue for white, middle-class women. Now, intersectionality is used to explain how additional factors can affect someone simultaneously. For example, a black woman may experience more forms of oppression than a white woman does, simply because of the societal emphasis on whiteness. Feminism also extends its support to LGBTQ and non-binary individuals; people who still experience a lot of misunderstanding and oppression. In addition, feminism is a worldwide concern, as it advocates for women's education, female political representation, women's health, and other concerns all over the planet. Feminists attempt to inform others about these issues and more, overall creating equality for all people.
I would be lying if I said I have always considered myself a feminist. Like many others, I struggled with the negative connotations associated with the title. It wasn't until I started learning the truth about feminism that I really started to connect to it. What really drew me to it was the sense of inclusion for everyone. You don't have to be a woman to rightfully be a feminist, you just have to be willing to understand others. And in a world full of violence and hatred due to misunderstanding, shouldn't that be important? Shouldn't we all try to make our time on Earth as enjoyable and fair as possible for everyone?
