And it's the feminist thing. Again.

Mood: tired
Listening to: 'Losing Grip' by Avril Lavigne
Hungry for: milk

And here we are again. Back to feminism.

Lately I have been asked a lot, mostly by boys 'so you think women should rule the world?'.

You might think this is a funny thing for fourteen-year-old boys to ask a fourteen-year-old girl, but I've kind of built a reputation of being a feminist. And I don't mind in the least. I'm damn proud of being a feminist.

But, it's back to more myth debunking.

1. Feminists want women to rule the world.

The correct term for people believing in female supremacy is gynocentrism - feminists believe in equal rights for men and women.

2. All feminists hate men.

I am living proof that that is not true - I'm utterly boy crazy. It is perfectly possible to fall in love, be friends with, and be physically attracted to men, and be a feminist.

3. All feminists are lesbians.

Not true. I'm 200% straight.

4. All feminists hate children.

That is like saying 'All people with blonde hair don't drive Toyotas' or something stupid like that. There is no connection between feminism and dislike of children.

5. Feminism is irrelevant in the modern world.

That is untrue. I have statistics to prove it. In even the most developed countries, wages for women are lower then the wages of men in many professions and trades. Women are discriminated against in occupations such as cooking, engineering and building. 3/4 of all abused children are female, and 2 in 3 women would have experienced some kind of abuse or assault in their lives. In less developed areas, honour killing, wife beating, FGM, rape, breast ironing, bride burning, daughter selling and forced arranged marriage is all still common. Female literacy and access to education is lower than that of men. The majority of women of all ages, races and backgrounds will have been subjected to some kind of sexual assault, abuse, and/or prejudice in their lives and women are still perceived as weak sexual objects in popular culture.

6. You must be a woman to be a feminist.

Some feminists believe otherwise, but I believe that men can be feminists, or at least feminism-supporters. Being a feminist is not betraying masculinity or giving way to femininity, but is confirming that you have some sense of human emotion in you. It takes a great man to be a great feminist.

A feminist is someone who believes in equality between men and women. We are essentially human rights activists at heart - we fight injustice and seek peace. Feminists are often discriminated against, and 'feminist' is now a degratory term - but we wear the name as a badge of pride. Feminism is about being proud of being a woman, seeking respect for being a women, respecting other women and men, and seeking ways to ensure all women are respected for who they are. We fight for women's suffrage and equal rights, through any means necessary. We demand to command respect, and in return we respect our supporters. And remember, the battle is not yet won. But one day, we will stand together, united, man, woman, black, white, at the dawn of a golden era.