“All men are created equal.” But what about women? Women are treated quite differently than men.  Women are attacked for doing the same things men are and it is not fair. It’s common sense people would want both genders to have the same rights. There is no reason someone deserves to be treated differently just because of their gender.

A common misconception of feminism it’s the push for women to be considered better than men, but it’s far from that.  According to the Oxford Dictionary, feminism means “the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.” Women are not trying to take over they are simply trying to be treated equally, which still is not fully happening. Women have been fighting for decades for basic human rights, like equal pay, the right to vote, and many others.

You may think, “women have it easy,” because back in the day they  just had to look pretty and be stay at home moms, but they actually have to live up to many expectations as women, by taking on any job that a man does. Women have more to deal with than most males understand, as they are more often objectified for their bodies.  Men can go shirtless in public, yet women get shunned for their natural bodies. Women get looked down upon when breastfeeding in public because people see breasts as sexual organs, not as important life sources. CBS covered a story of a woman, who while breastfeeding inside a shop in Beverly Hills was escorted to the bathroom to “finish up” because, “it made some of the other customers uncomfortable.”  She was feeding her baby, giving nutrition to another life.  There is nothing about that, that should make anyone uncomfortable.

Women can’t walk down the street alone in the dark, because they are seen as weak and easy targets. “I am sometimes too scared to walk to the car at night,”  says Jennifer White (real name withheld). Men have these problems too, but it is a problem mostly women have to deal with.  Feminism is the hope is to end these issues for both men and women.

Feminism is not just for women, it benefits men in many ways too. Men are told that they cannot be sensitive, that they need to be strong and save the day when in reality, they don’t. Men are told that they can’t be interested in traditionally feminine activities like dancing, cooking, fashion, etc. Feminism hopes to end gender roles so that men do not have to feel like they must be strong and huge and careless, and so that women don’t have to feel like they must be weak and helpless. It is the hope that everyone can be themselves and not feel pressured to act or think a certain way.

Women on average do not get paid the same as men for the same exact jobs. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) states that women only get paid 79 cents compared to every dollar that a man makes. Women have the same ability as any man does to do any job.

    Women have been fighting a long time for equality, and women have come a long way.  Women can now vote, work, and do a lot of things they couldn’t do before, but have not quite reached equality. Spreading the word of feminism is important.  Making others aware that equality can be reached with educating them on what it is will help create a better world for everyone, regardless of their gender.