Ginny Brown, writer for The Life of Science, states that many people claim that “[they] [are] not…feminist[s] because [they] don’t hate men” (Brown par 1). Oftentimes, people such as the ones Brown mentions mistake feminists for those who believe that women are superior to men or those that hate men, but this is a misconstrued idea. This causes feminism to become a word that many people struggle with. They do not want to be associated with a label that is commonly misinterpreted to mean man-hating, and this needs to change. Without understanding what the word feminism conveys, people cannot identify and correct the problems with sexism around the world.

          One way to explain what feminism means is to explore how it is misinterpreted. Feminism is not the same as misandry. Misandry is having prejudice against men, believing that women are superior to them. Feminism is not “bra-burning lesbianism,” as people such as Geri Halliwell think and continue to claim (Moorhead par 9). Many people believe that the idea of feminism is inherently dangerous to men and society, but this is not true. Feminists do not believe that the patriarchy - a social system in which men hold the most power - should reverse its roles to become a matriarchy. Many people believe, according to The Arizona State Press, that “feminism is supposed to take power away from men or say that women are inherently better than men,” but this is not true (Mo par 11). Feminists are not trying to give women more opportunities by taking away those same opportunities from men. These misinterpretations of what feminism means can result in people straying away from ideas associated with the word itself. People are less likely to engage in feminist marches, rallies, and conversations that focus on having equal rights for all. When people do not engage in these situations, the movement for equal gender rights is not as impactful.

          To further define feminism, it is helpful to show examples of it in action. Feminists strive for gender equality, and fight to be heard. Malala Yousafzai, someone who proudly identifies as a feminist, started a charity focused on giving women more opportunities to decide their own futures. She is someone who works toward creating a society where all genders are given equal chances which is the purpose of feminism. Malala is world-renowned for her activism on equal gender rights, and helping girls have the same rights as their male counterparts. Another example of an act of feminism is when Emma Watson gave a speech at the UN for a HeForShe campaign. In her speech she mentioned that “if [people] believe in equality, [they] might be…[an] inadvertent feminist” because those that fight for gender equality are, by definition, feminists (Watson). She urged men to join the fight against gender inequality, and to realize that feminism is not a word they need to be ashamed to be called. These are examples of modern-day feminists that have a goal to remove the patriarchal system in place. If people do not join the ones fighting for equal gender rights, no nation will reach equality for all genders.

          These are just a few examples where feminism is evident, but they show the importance of it. People around the world have misconceptions about what the word means, and try to avoid being associated with it. Feminists are not people who are prejudiced against men, but they are people who seek equal gender rights. Those who support feminism support getting rid of the patriarchal system that hurts every gender. If people do not understand what feminism means, they cannot help battle sexism. Without understanding that feminism is the idea that all genders should be treated equal in society, people are unable to unite to overcome gender inequality everywhere.