At the core point of the feminist movement is one key truth; “men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.” Despite the countless misconceptions of what feminism stands for, why its happening, and the way it’s being handled, it’s happening – and believe it or not – it’s a positive movement that can benefit all of humanity.

As Emma Watson described in her UN speech in September of 2014, “feminism is the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes.” Feminism serves to bring light to sexism, the need for eradication of gender roles, and the inequality prevalent in our society. The movement of feminism brings about change for all gender identifications. Whether an individual is female, male, non-binary, transgender, etc., is not an issue. Feminism is a movement to better our society.

Unfortunately, feminism has been warped and misunderstood in many ways. Shailene Woodley, for example, joined the ranks of individuals who are misinformed about the goals and values of feminism. In an interview with Time magazine, Woodley displays a view of feminism that many see, but are unable to realize why it is incorrect. In response to being asked if she was a feminist she replied:  “No because I love men, and I think the idea of “raise women to power, take the men away from the power” is never going to work out because you need balance. With myself, I’m very in touch with my masculine side. And I’m 50 percent feminine and 50 percent masculine, same as I think a lot of us are. And I think that is important to note. And also I think that if men went down and women rose to power, that wouldn’t work either. We have to have a fine balance.”

Firstly, being a feminist does not mean hating men. In fact, feminism works to provide solutions for those of the male gender as well. Her notion of raising women to power while taking power away from men is also incorrect. The key of feminism is its “equality-for-all” aspect, not a “claim-all-power” ideal. Woodley also claims that she is not a feminist because she is “in touch with [her] masculine side.” In spite of “femme” attaching to the word “feminism,” it does not mean that feminists believe in always being “feminine”. In this statement she highlights the need for individual expression but places it in a light that makes feminism seem against displaying masculinity. The entire point of the eradication of gender roles is to allow individuals to not be constrained to a “masculine” or “feminine” stereotype. By speaking outwardly about a topic that is not completely understood by the individual, Woodley enforces a negative image upon the feminist movement.

In short, feminism is a kick-ass movement that promotes individual expression, equality, and a “goodbye” to sexual objectification. We were born equally, and we should live equally. Feminism is a movement to provide a welcoming life for each and every individual, and it is more than happy to welcome society into it.