I am a feminist. This shouldn't be shocking. I didn't have to have “FEMINIST” tattooed on my forehead as a warning to my peers. I'm not ostracized for my beliefs or shunned by anyone. However, it's funny what people assume I mean when I say that I believe in feminism.

When the average Joe pictures a feminist, what usually comes to mind is a manly woman with a short haircut, a wardrobe that lumberjacks would be jealous of, and a hatred of the opposite sex that could rival Wile E. Coyote's distaste for the roadrunner. Feminists have been painted as hairy monsters with crazy eyes who consume every man who dares enter their path. However, that just isn't the case.

I am a feminist. I do not have short hair, nor am I hairy (well, unless I forget to shave). I do not hate men, nor do I hate women who take pride in being feminine. I am simply a woman who wants the same rights as my fellow man. I want to have my opinion be taken seriously and to be heard as loudly as the man's standing next to me. I'm tired of the media's image that women are the weaker sex and need a Prince Charming to save them. I'm shocked that the female body is constantly legislated – by men. There shouldn't be a question as to whether I'm getting paid the same amount for the same job. I long for the day that my gender does not determine my worth in the eyes of society, men, or employers.

A feminist can look like anyone. It can be a girl who wears bright red lipstick and spends hours in front of the mirror perfecting her makeup. It can be the girl who wears more flannel than Smokey the Bear. It can also be your preacher or your dad. And I pray that it's your significant other.

So why are so many women and men alike afraid to call themselves feminists? It's become a bad word in our society and, frankly, I don't understand why. Feminism doesn't shackle anyone, it frees them. Feminism is a general admission show with unlimited seating. Unfortunately, due to the negative connotation society has tacked onto the word “feminism," it has become commonplace to dismiss the idea. Embracing the notion that women are human beings and deserved to be treated as such would honestly make the world a better place. A world without oppression is a world without restraint.

What everyone needs to believe about feminism are these two undeniable facts: 1. Women today (whether they accept it or not) have prospered from the groundwork that early feminists have laid and should be grateful, and 2. It is not, nor will it ever be, a “bad” thing.

The definition of feminism is “the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities." Do you believe that? Congratulations! You are a feminist.