I am a feminist because I believe that socially constructed norms are a trap.

I am a feminist because “what were you wearing?” is still asked when a woman is sexually assaulted.

I am a feminist because some women still make less than men for doing the exact same work.

I am a feminist because I shouldn’t be nervous to walk around alone.

I am a feminist because I believe that everyone should have a right to his or her own body.

I am a feminist because we still live in a society where people are taught how to avoid being raped rather than teaching people not to rape.

I am a feminist because people still say “like a girl” as if it is an insult.

I am a feminist because I believe that men deserve paternity leave.

I am a feminist because inequality affects all genders, not just women.

I am a feminist because I believe that it’s wrong to tell a man to “man up.”

I am a feminist because I believe that men shouldn’t be afraid to show emotions.

I am a feminist because I believe in the social, economic, and political equality of the sexes.

I am a feminist and I do not hate men. When it comes down to it, feminism is actually pretty simple. We simply want everyone to have equal rights. Not just women, everyone. Equal, human rights should not be something that is up for debate, it should just be.

As a feminist, I want men and women to have the same opportunities when it comes to work and how they choose to live their lives. If a woman wants to be a CEO of a company, she should be able to do so without people trying to block her path. If a man wants to be a stay at home father, he should be able to without anyone judging him for that decision.

It appears that “feminism” has become synonomous with “men hating” when that is not the case at all. As I stated above, feminism is about the equality of all genders. I do not hate men or believe that all men are evil. That just logically does not make sense.

Feminism is about wanting the same chances, rights, and privileges that men have. It’s about equality. Women are not crazy for saying that we do not receive equal treatment as men...

Women earn 78 cents for every dollar a man makes. In congress, only 17% of the seats are held by women. One out of every six women will be sexually assaulted. America’s top female CEOs, on average, earn 33 cents for every dollar that a male CEO makes (About News).

Feminism is not about hating men, or trying to bring them down, or trying to prove that they are “evil.” It is about believing that women and men deserve the exact same rights and that they should be treated equally. It’s not this complex, super confusing thing to want equal rights... is it?