PHOTOS BY MAYA MARGOLIS AND ALUA NOYAN
Students and teachers hold up “I need Feminism…” signs to support equality. Clockwise from top left: senior Tyler Knight, seniors Arinze Obiora and Peter Allen, junior Gabe Doyle, senior Nolan Crowley, English teacher Peter Sedlak, seniors Nicholas Vartanian, Eli Goodman and Tanisha Martin.

by Tyler Knight

Jumbo shrimp. Bittersweet. Male feminist? Who’s ever heard of that?

As it turns out, hardly anybody. When I tell people I consider myself a feminist, reactions range from laughter to confusion.

I was surprised, and perhaps a little offended at first, but I realized that those are perfectly normal responses for someone who has never heard of a male feminist before.

In men’s experience, feminism has always been a female frontier, but this is not accurate in today’s world. Male feminists are not a myth. Some famous self-proclaimed male feminists include Hollywood stars like Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Andy Samberg and Daniel Radcliffe.

They and countless other men stand firmly in their support of women. Yet these vocal supporters are part of a small minority. They exist in the feminist community, but barely. Why is that? Do they differ from female feminists?

Hardly.

A feminist is a feminist regardless of gender or background. The only requirement is support for the equality of women. Equality can be a tricky term though. Improper use and practice of this word is where feminism loses male followers.

Popular perception paints feminism as man-hating. This is likely why many are surprised to learn that men can be a part of the movement that is supposed-

ly against them. The idea of man-hating unnecessarily turns males off to the idea of being a feminist. It shuts them down to an inspiring movement that, in reality, has nothing against them.

Emma Watson, a strong advocate for feminist issues, explains the problem very well in a speech for her organization HeForShe.

“How can we affect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation?” she said. “Men, I would like to take this opportunity to extend your formal invitation. Gender equality is your issue, too.”

Watson makes a strong point. Women should not be the only ones fighting for their equality. Women’s rights have made amazing progress in the last century, but there is still a long road ahead. Who better to aid them than the rest of the population?

If you do not consider yourself a part of the movement, think about where your opinions lie. If you believe women deserve the same opportunities as men, then declare it.

Feminism is not a dirty word. You don’t have to be an activist to call yourself a feminist. You don’t need to be fiery and outspoken. You don’t need to have a deeply personal reason. All you need is belief in the equality of women and the title is yours.

So, do you consider yourself a feminist?