I have been a tomboy since childhood. I preferred my train set to my baby doll, and had more fun playing with Legos than Barbies. However, once I started school, I realized that girls didn’t really play with trains or Legos. To fit in, I had to play with “girl toys.”

As I grew older, I noticed even more differences between males and females. Why did my mom, grandma and aunts have to clean the kitchen while my dad, grandpa and uncles watched football? Why did telling funny jokes make the boys cool, but the only way to be a popular girl was to gossip about and make fun of other kids? Why was it that my dad told my brother to “man up” when he started crying about a bully, but my sister could sob all she wanted to about a joke gone wrong?

I am now 16 and fully aware of the differences between men and women. I have been attacked and humiliated for rejecting boys, told that I am not of value because my body is different than that of a man and sexually harassed multiple times. I have been told I am showing too much skin and I have been told I am not pretty enough. I have been told that boys might like me more if I were quieter and less outspoken. I’m sick of being treated like less of a human because I am a bold and confident female. I am a proud feminist, and I am tired of the misconceptions surrounding it.

The modern definition of feminism varies from person to person, but a surprisingly large amount of people believe feminists are, “man-haters”. This is not at all what feminists are. Feminists are advocates for the political, economic and social equality of the sexes. I know many girls who say they believe in equality but reject the name of feminism, stating, “they don’t hate men.” Man-hating is synonymous with misandry, which is a radical set of beliefs that is confused with feminism. Many women who despise men claim to be feminists, but they do not reflect the ideologies of feminism itself.

The issues faced by feminism include alleviating social taboos on the sexes, eliminating sexual assault and dismantling the male-dominated society in which we live. A huge misconception about these motives is that feminism is meant to empower women only and create a society in which men are subordinate to women. This is not the case. There is a huge pressure for men to be as masculine as possible and to hide all emotion. They are subject to ridicule for doing things traditionally viewed as feminine, and are told from boyhood that a real man is strong, dominant, and successful.

The abolishment of the patriarchal mindset would not only take away social obligations on women, but also on men. If men are not told to dominate, women will not be told to submit. My dream is to see a world where people are judged by their soul rather than their gender. So girls, feel free to be tough. Guys, you can be emotional. And above everything else, strive for equal respect between the sexes.