Many people would say women have equal rights but do we really? Feminism is still important today. Things like the popularity of the phrase “get back in the kitchen” are why I feel it is still relevant. We have come very far from where we were and are much more equal than other countries, but we still aren’t quite there.

First, there’s women in the workplace. Women are still not paid equally to men and make 75 cents to every man’s dollar. Many people believe that women shouldn’t have jobs and should simply cook and take care of the children. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, but the problem is people think that is all we are capable of doing. Many people also think that women are weak if they cannot hold a job and take care of a family. Women are just as competent and able to do just as much as men.

If I tell people I am a feminist I am ridiculed for it. People automatically assume this means I hate men. I am insulted for simply speaking out and saying that I want to be treated the same as a boy. It does not mean I am simply feeling moody. Yes, there are some that are men-hating and do not represent feminism well, but they aren’t the only feminists. You don’t slander people for being Christian just because the Westboro Baptist Church calls themselves Christian.

Feminism is about women having the right to choose what they want to do. It is about not being held back from your full potential because of your gender. It is no longer about things like women’s suffrage and our right to an education, as these battles and many others have already been won. Women’s rights have had lots of progress in the past 100 years, but there is still more to overcome.

Feminism is still important today, even though the struggles are different from what they were in the past. Women are still not treated the same in the workplace. There are many misconceptions about what feminism stands for. Feminism today is simply about women having equal rights and being treated equally to men. We’ve come so far from where we were, so why stop now?