One should hope in this day and age that sexism and gender inequality would be a thing of the past. The exact opposite seems to be true, however - in fact, it often seems that our society has taken several steps back for every step forward.

I have experienced sexism and gender inequality in almost every facet of my life. Even in preschool, we were already aware of the expectations of our respective genders. The boys would group up and engage in sports and the girls would get together and play with dolls and giggle about their crushes. I found myself constantly drawn toward the boys' activities as a means to disassociate myself from my gender and all things 'girl'. Now I realize that I was simply frustrated with the predetermined options given to me by society and wished for more, wished for better.

Females in society are not given the equality we so deserve. We are underpaid, underappreciated and often disregarded in terms of professional advancement. It is for these reasons that I am constantly so frustrated and easily enraged by peoples' flippant comments regarding sexism and how 'feminists just need to chill'. It is even more frustrating when I see women perpetuating sexist ideals. Especially when they are so ignorant of its lasting effect on their quality of life and how they will be perceived.

Many of the phrases commonly used in conversation are often a blatant attack on women. When someone is advised to "man up" it is often used in the context of said person engaging in particularly "feminine" behavior. Why aren't people told to "woman up"? Why are men always held at a higher standard, even subconsciously?

I am not ashamed to label myself as a feminist and it is unfortunate that some women are afraid or unwilling to accept that title. You should want to have your voice heard. You should not fear confrontation and if something or someone makes you feel inferior, you do not have to accept it. Until things change and until we receive the same opportunities as men, I will continue to get angry at things others may deem as unimportant.

So yes, I am a feminist... and no, I will not apologize.