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Lately, there seems to be a coordinated effort on social media to deride third-wave feminism. It baffles me to my core that people living in the 21st century are opposed to the movement, but here we are. Plain and simple, feminism is the advocacy for the political, economic, and social equality of the genders.

Historians have divided the American feminist movement into three major categories, or “waves.” First-wave feminism (mid 1800s to early 1900s) fought for equal contract, property, and voting rights. Second-wave feminism (1960s to 1980s) advocated for women’s workplace, family, and reproductive rights. This period of feminism coincided and often overlapped with several of the civil rights movements, influencing feminism to become more inclusive. The current third wave (1990s- ) focuses on fixing pay disparities between men and others, advocating for women’s reproductive rights, and eradicating violence against women all over the world.

I would like to dispel the seemingly popular notion that the term feminism is somehow a dirty word. It’s not.  Feminists advocate for the equality of the genders.  They do not aim for women to receive special treatment based on gender or for women to be superior to men. What feminists want is equality.

Some people get hung up on the term feminism itself and oppose the entire movement. To those of you who fall under this category and say things like, “Well, I support equal rights for all, but I just prefer to use the term ‘humanist’ or ‘egalitarian,’” I ask you to reconsider your position. Humanism and egalitarianism are both branches of philosophy that have helped shape feminism, but feminism is the only movement actively advocating for gender equality. The reason that the movement was given the name ‘feminism’ in the first place is because it largely focuses on the gender inequality issues that impact women: the gender that has been systematically oppressed throughout history. Feminism is not meant to bring down men, but to elevate the status of women, hence the name.  Also, if you are opposed to the feminist movement because you think that its name is gender biased, please reconsider your use of all androcentric words in the English language (disclaimer: there are quite a few).

Opponents of third-wave feminism sometimes complain that it is not an inclusive movement, but the facts indicate otherwise. Third-wave feminists are actually quite in tune with the real gender inequality issues that face people of all genders. Feminists are fighting against outdated cultural practices such as placing the financial burden of caring for one’s family on men, the unfair treatment of fathers in child custody battles, societal expectations of masculinity, and inadequate outreach for male rape victims.  Feminists also fight for the popular acceptance of all gender identities. So while the unenlightened of Twitter may tell you that feminism is an exclusive movement based around overenthusiastic young women focused on getting special treatment for themselves, please know that it is not the truth.

Even though feminists in this country have come so far in advancing the equality of the genders, we still have a lot to work towards. In the United States alone, one in three women has been a victim of domestic abuse; one in six women has been a victim of sexual assault; over four thousand cases of sex trafficking have been recorded in the past year; and women working the same jobs as men for the same amount of time make seventy-nine cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts. These are not problems that we as a society can ignore, and feminists are working hard to put a stop them.

Finally, it is time to address the weakest anti-feminist argument of them all: “Feminists are annoying.” While this quasi argument may hold up on social media, it has no basis in an intellectual discussion. People who advocate for what they are passionate about often get labeled as “annoying,” “rude,” or worse if they stick to their message and don’t back down. Just by bringing gender equality into mainstream discussion, feminists are working to advance equal rights. Just bringing up the issues of gender inequality in this world is half the battle. Feminists who spread a positive message of gender equality in a strong, passionate way deserve none of the flack that comes their way. Let’s be honest, if people can respectfully listen to others ramble on about how many likes they got on Insta or who just followed them on Twitter, they can afford feminists the same courtesy.

When it comes down to it, if you believe in the equal treatment of all human beings regardless of gender, you are a feminist. Please don’t reject or slander the label. When you look at the facts, feminism is an inclusive movement that works hard to bring gender equality into the conversation and advance the rights of all.