The term feminism, “the belief that men and women should have equal rights,” (Merriam-Webster) has been around since the late 19th century.

Often times, when the term “feminism” is brought to surface, many assume that it’s just about women wanting to gain the same equality as men. However, it extends much further than that. People from varying generations portray feminism differently due to how long they’ve been around to witness this issue. 

Feminism is sometimes misunderstood, mainly because people have different perceptions of the term. People associate this concept with women wanting same social status that men hold. Amanda Hochstatter, a physics teacher and an avid feminist, believes that society portrays feminism as women “who want to start all of these controversial issues.” She is a strong believer that many will “dismiss the idea and say ‘oh that’s just a feminist.” Dismissing a woman as just a feminist places a negative and demeaning label on these women. Hochstatter also wants to emphasize that “feminism could also be good for men,” because they will gain equal standards that women hold.

If people want equality for all genders, they can’t forget to advocate for the other side of the issue. They must acknowledge it and make an effort to create equal standards on both sides of the spectrum.

There are common misconceptions that come along with this issue. Hochstatter states that “some people think they have to be a woman to be a feminist, which isn’t true. Some people think feminists need to be raising all [heck].” These falsities lead to uneducated individuals that do not advocate for this recognition. Hochstatter believes that advocacy for this issue is a need.

Young people support feminism by advocating for how important it is to society today.

Justin, a student at Millennium Brooklyn High School, says that “feminism is something we need in society,” acknowledging that women’s rights are yet not equal to men. The unfair treatment towards women is a huge issue recognized by both the older and younger generations. This unfair treatment is visible in not just the workplace, but also on the streets. He said, “I would see women on the streets oppressed by men all the time.” This controversial issue is something that needs to be advocated for. Because of the lack of feminists supporting the change for equal rights, today we still see men in big business corporations getting paid more than women working in the same occupation. More people must become aware of the true definition of feminism and how our society today lacks equal treatment for men and women.

Publicity for this issue needs to increase. Generations and genders both acknowledge the attention that this concept deserves, but it has not yet received its full recognition.  Throughout history, strong woman leaders have done extraordinary things that shaped the U.S. into the glorious country it is today.

The fact that unequal rights are still prevalent in our society for women is ludicrous and unreasonable. It is clear to see equal rights for women is something that needs to be advocated for until we truly achieve that goal.