With the Women's March happening this past weekend, I've been seeing a lot of negative things being said and posted on social media about the brave women who decided to stand up to injustice. If you don't believe feminism is important, you are part of the problem. Plain and simple. THIS is the definition of a feminist:

Assuming feminists are just "hormonal women who are on their period" is a prime example of why feminism is important. If roles were reversed and men's rights were taken away, there would be a damn war. It's sad to think that people believe feminism is just some joke on social media to be taken lightly. We're talking about REAL women's lives and rights that are being taken away all over the world. I'm going to list some reasons as to why I personally identify as a feminist.

Because one in four women are sexually assaulted, but society still has the audacity to blame it on what she was wearing at the time of her attack.

Why the hell does it matter what someone is wearing?! I'm sorry, but as a lesbian, I can control myself and respect a woman's privacy in an all girls locker room. Why can't a rapist do the same? And what about when small children are raped? What's your excuse then? Clothing is just that. Clothing. You should have enough common decency and respect other people when they say no.

Because my breasts are portrayed as sexual objects.

NO NO NO. Breasts are used in the media to sell practically everything. But if I were to breastfeed my child in public, it would be considered "disgusting" and "embarrassing". It's completely bullshit. Breasts are specifically for infants health and development.

Because our body hair is expected to be shaved, waxed, tweezed, and threaded.

Personally, I love not having body hair but there are women who don't want to remove their body hair and that is perfectly okay. You honestly think your girlfriend always loves the beard you've been trying to grow out for two years? It's itchy, scratchy, and sometimes it feels like it's cutting her face open. But that's what makes you happy, so she deals with it and loves it because it's a part of you.

Because in 2013 there were over 700 bills that were proposed to regulate a woman's body.

You read that right. SEVEN HUNDRED BILLS. Do you know how many there were for men? Zero. Literally none. That in itself is a huge problem.

I refuse to sit back and let feminism be taken lightly or get treated as a joke for people's sick amusement. I refuse to settle for anything less than I deserve. I refuse to deal with bigotry, homophobia, transphobia, or anything alike. I refuse to let the patriarchy win.

I promise to stand up for women all over the world.

I refuse to be silent.