Google's dictionary function defines feminism as: "The advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of social, political, and economic equality." The equality of women and men -- their roles, their happiness, their opportunities. I do not believe that a woman should be paid less than a man for doing the same job, or that it should be harder for her to get that job in the first place than it would be for a male of equal credentials and potential success. I hate that women in society are valued primarily for their appearance or their sex appeal instead of their gifts, intelligence, and kindness. It saddens me that some women are pressured to have children and stay at home when they genuinely enjoy their career or are honestly not interested in being a mother. However, this is only half of what feminism in this day and time is about. Whether or not the campaign was originally about real equality, it has become something pretty different, and this is what turns me away.

Instead of promoting women to be successful in their work and careers, it is now the idea that any woman who would honestly enjoy staying at home, taking care of children, or doing her husband's laundry should be shamed, and that they are weak and want to be slaves to their husband or other males. Instead of promoting women's health and it's importance, it is now the idea that women should be able to get rid of the human being in her womb because of the inconvenience to her and the fact that she should be able to make a decision about herself, even if it involves violating every decision the baby could have ever made in their own life. Instead of equality with men, the purpose is now to dominate them, to manipulate them, to beat them in any competitive situation. To hate them, or shame them, disrespecting even the respectable.

I don't pretend to know enough about this subject and its history to write much more about this. I just want to express that as an 18 year old young woman, I am trying to realize my dreams, my goals, and establish my view on my identity and myself as a female in this country and in this world in the 21st century. And modern day feminism and all its contrasting ideology is making it hard.

I want to look my best, and I don't know if this is okay or not. I want to be married and sacrifice things for my husband and children because I love them, and it seems as if this is wrong. I want to be financially stable, but I don't want a career that pays a million dollars, but I am pressured on many sides to pursue that kind of life anyway, because it would bring me a lot of praise. Why? Because I'm a woman, and my gender would make my success even more extraordinary.

And I thought that's what feminism was trying to avoid in the first place.