Feminist. The word is intimidating, controversial, and detested by many. When you think about feminism, what usually comes to mind? Images of women protesting tampon use and mocking men who feel queasy at the mere thought of periods, angry misandrists who refuse to let a man buy them a drink, and fragile girls blaming men for every inequality that sets us ten steps back– these are the most popular topics referenced by men and women who claim to be "so over feminists." But camouflaged by the incorrect assumption that we are simply sad, bitter women who embody a great distain towards men and a sense of superiority within our own gender, lies the legitimate (and apparently little-known) definition of feminism: the advocation of social, political and economic rights of women equal to those of men. That's right, folks. Equality for the sexes. There's a significant difference between misandry and feminism, and I'd advise those who have trouble understanding it to make better use of Google.

I am a proud feminist, and I have never hated men. I don't roll my eyes when a man holds the door open for me, I don't detest the act of a man embracing his masculinity, and I don't believe that as a woman, I am a superhuman who is more intelligent, hardworking and commendable than any man could dream to be. I listen to my best friends swoon over their crushes, I give advice when the same guys haven't called in a week, and I gush about my own boyfriend on a regular basis. I grew up reading love stories and fairytales, and I adored every second of it. I'm a self-professed hopeless romantic at best, and that's a trait I can never get rid of. But please understand, liking men (and wanting to be liked by men) does not have to automatically dismiss you from understanding the privileges that women rightfully deserve.

I can love a man without expecting him to pay for dinner, change my tires and do all the dirty work– but it doesn't bother me much if he offers to do so. I am independent, motivated and focused on my own growth, even if I choose to flourish with someone else. I can speak my mind without being told how to feel and what to say, I can provide for myself and build my own empire if I want to– but I will never stop fighting for the women who can't. My mission is not to whine about petty issues that somehow get mixed into the medley of actual societal problems; my goal is to use my voice to speak for the women who have been forcefully and unwillingly silenced.

I'm speaking for the victims whose rapists were never convicted, for the potential scholars who have been denied the right to an education, and for those sold into sex slavery who know nothing more than to do as they're told. I'm fighting for the providers who are catcalled and violated on their way to work, for the trans women who are mocked while entering a public bathroom, and for the women who think twice before holding their girlfriend's hand in public. I'm here for the young girls who are ashamed of their bodies, and for the boys who wish they had the courage to admit that they love makeup. I am not selfish enough to proclaim that because something doesn't effect me, it should not be considered a valid issue, and I am informed enough to know that these concerns are the ones that feminists are discussing– their focus is not on blaming and belittling men.

I believe in a strong man just as much as I believe in a strong woman, and I believe in unity between our genders. I can daydream all day about being swept off my feet by a man, and my sense of responsibility towards supporting women will remain the same. Believing in chivalry and loving a man's company does not exempt you from the feminist agenda, because feminism is not a movement against men. Allow yourself to be a romantic, allow yourself to love everything about the opposite sex and to place confidence in their successes the same way you do your own, but do not allow yourself to form a baseless opinion of something you've misinterpreted. I am a feminist because I believe that every individual should be treated as an equal– not that every woman should turn her back on every man.