Misconceptions of what feminism truly supports often steer people away, thinking feminists fall under the same category as man-hating, ravaging females. But most fail to realize misandry and feminism fall on opposite ends of the spectrum. Misandry revolves around hatred of men and women’s superiority, and feminism, as defined by Merriam-Webster, holds truthful the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. Equality seen in the eyes of a feminist transcends simply a word; it symbolizes an ideal that no genetic, cultural, nor tangible difference may determine whether or not someone deserves happiness.

A woman’s naturally assumed responsibilities, such as childbirth and menstruation, definitely puts them in an insightful position, one of exceptional strength. To put the level of pain of giving birth in perspective, DELs measure pain on a set scale, with average human dying past 45 DELs. Natural childbirth sits 12 DELs above this threshold. Women continually experience judgement based on an assumption of fragility, despite the evident and apparent strength that womankind shows.

The patriarchy benefits none and exploits all; every man, woman, and child will experience its wrath. Labeling women as fragile and unfit for the “masculine” workload diminishes any possibility of full functionality in any society. Something imperative to understand but difficult to get across to a common audience: a strong woman backs a feeble revolution, a strong man backs a concrete apparatus. In other words, society requires women work more than men to equally establish themselves because of the innate advantage men obtain over women.

If indeed society intends to progress any further, we must implement complete and total equality for women. For the younger generation, movements lead by strong-minded young women of every shape, size, and ethnic background disturb order within the patriarchy.

Women, girls, and even men need feminism. Its influence reaches every fathomable corner of this world, from the distress surrounding the global population approaching the carrying capacity, to the everlasting economic crisis that seems without a foreseeable resolution. Implementation of better education, easily accessible health care, and equal rights for all women everywhere will drastically change the world and possibly hold it unrecognizable.