It's a two-way street, not a fork in the road.

Social networking is powerful. Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook -- they're all platforms for people to voice their opinions with vigor. Albeit time-consuming, these websites are definitely precious for all groups of people. Within the past few months, Twitter has exploded in social issues. First, #YesAllWomen was trending in response to the school shooting in California. The gist of the situation revolved around a male student being rejected by a girl, leading him to promptly cause a school shooting (one of the 75+ school shootings that have happened since Sandy Hook, I might add). The tragedy sparked many feminists to harp over the inequality issue, as many people starting blaming the girl. "She should've given him a chance" and "Girls always friendzone the guys" became incredibly common sentences that stained the Internet. In response, feminists amplified the absurdity of that logic, explaining that women are not obligated to go out or date anyone they don't want to. Fighting the patriarchal ideologies that have become permanently ingrained into society, feminists made a strong case. However, men continued to plea their own case with their #NotAllMen hashtag, causing a major rift in women's plight for equality.

Before I continue, I would like to clarify something: the definition of feminism is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. Feminism is not about degrading or vilifying men whatsoever, but people fail to realize that the whole reason there is a feminist movement is because women have been plagued with double standards, unjust and unfair economical statuses, and so much more as opposed to men. The feminist movement is NOT a way for women to victimize themselves. We are not trying to wiggle our way into some privilege; no, we're trying to fight for equality. Feminists aren't trying to bash on men, but we are the product of a patriarchal society; we've been built around a superiority for men. When men are assertive, they are seen as effective and efficient bosses. Women are seen as bitches and bossy. The phrase "to run like a girl" and to "throw like a girl" exist, downgrading girls' ability as equal counterparts. Humanity has grown around a notion that all women must settle down to a life of domesticity; too often, women are told to marry into money, inferring that they're incapable of being successful in life on their own. There are far too many statistics revealing the huge imbalance of women in politics, as bosses, as CEOs. Women are hypersexualized in ads. What does cleavage have to do with hamburgers? I understand that men are sexualized as well -- male models always fall under 8-pack abs, muscular, and a fine jaw line. However, just because men share a problem with women doesn't mean that society should justify it. Feminists rightfully support the removal of sexualization (of both men and women -- a fine example of equality) from advertising -- from society.

Now, recently, there has been a new hashtag trending on Twitter: #WomenAgainstFeminism. When I first heard of this hashtag, I was skeptical, but open-minded to hearing the arguments of others. I have accepted the fact that not everyone will agree with me. I never want to berate anyone for their own beliefs, but I have my limits. On feminism, there's a huge division between liberals and conservatives, understandably. I understand that, and I can even accept it without anger, but when uneducated citizens attack me, I can get extremely angry. First thing I noticed: there were a plethora of men posting with the hashtag #WomenAgainstFeminism. Do I need to explain the issue any further? Secondly, many people seem to lose the definition of feminism.

Now, everyone needs to understand that the Feminist Movement is composed of all sorts of people. There are some people very dedicated; others are bystanders but support the cause. There are Republicans who support feminism, as well as many Democrats. All people of all races are open to the idea of feminism, and there are plenty that have even spent their life spreading the importance of it. But, with any cause (i.e. Civil Rights, Gay Rights, Abortion, Gun Control, Taxes), there are extremists. A commonly heard term for the extreme feminists are "Feminazis", emphasizing their adamant stance on feminists. I, personally, do not identify as a Feminazi, but I am very involved in the movement itself. As with any issue, there will be defensive people who threaten those who oppose their ideas. There are numerous cases where feminists have told non-supporters to kill themselves or to go and die, to which countless conservatives are pinpointing the supposed cruelty of feminists. That's not fair. You cannot generalize a whole group of people. That's the equivalent of classifying all Republicans as slavery-endorsing racists. All groups are diverse; it would be impossible to call all single members by something some one person said.

I've scrolled through Twitter for quite some while tonight. The most common arguments against feminism revolve around three things:
1) "Because men are absolutely awesome, and women should appreciate them more" - GOPMommy
2) "I am not a victim. There is no war against [women]. I have & will continue to succeed in life, because I work for it, not used my gender as a "get out of jail free" card. & I love to be sexy for my man & cook for him ... in the kitchen!" - kravmagajessica
3) "I don't need feminism because 'feminism' is a predominately white middle-class movement created by and for white women...when these women wanted to work in the early 1930s - their argument was 'black women will take care of our children & make dinner' - When they wanted birth control, they advertised it as a ploy to stop 'black women from breeding'. Today, feminism is shaming women who love their men and want to have children. I am all for equal rights. *That makes me human.* Where is the poor-ist movement? Where is the black/men/women/people-ist movement?" - kravmagajessica

Here are my responses:
1) Please refer back to the definition of feminism. The essence of feminism is equality, which means that we thrive for a world in which all humans look at each other and think we're all equal. Many anti-feminists are for a "humanist" society, pleading for a day we can all live as humans without labels. That is feminism. That is literally what feminism is entitling. Men are awesome! Women are awesome as well! Men should appreciate women, just as women should appreciate men. It's a two way street, but with all the double standards and gender roles that have hit both genders, it's hard to find equality. So the feminist movement was formed to try and fix some of the gaps. Yes, there are feminists belittling others who don't agree with their views -- attacking women who want a life of domesticity and condemning those who want to cook and stay in the kitchen -- but you cannot label the whole movement as women who believe they're better than men. Yes, there are women who laugh at others who prefer to look nice for their men and want to shave to look nice, but at the same time, there are plenty of conservatives who believe that anyone who doesn't believe in Christ belongs in Hell. You cannot zoom in on one aspect of the movement and intensify what happened; feminism is much bigger than just one point. We're fighting both misogyny and misandry. It's a two-way street, not a fork in the road.

2) Without feminism, women wouldn't be able to vote, go to school, work, drive a car, or have any rights. We are not vicitimizing ourselves and assuming we'll gain whatever we want due to our gender; it's the opposite. Maya Angelou was a prominent feminists, and she worked so hard in her life, as a writer, dancer, actress, singer, speaker -- anything she put her mind to. Feminists have a work ethic. We work diligently so we are able to progress in society. If you want a life without feminism, fine, but I promise you, without feminism, you wouldn't be able to go on Twitter and voice your opinion. Feminists have worked hard to promote a place of equality. Feminists are literally fighting for every woman (even those against feminism, ironically).

3) Feminism, again, is for equality. Feminism includes everyone of all races, genders, social class, religious beliefs, ethnicities, nationalities, etc. It is a universally encompassing movement. It's not made for white women. In fact, I've found that most anti-feminists are made up of men and white-women (mostly white conservatives). Birth control was not made for black women to stop breeding (and keep in mind that most liberals support feminism and supported civil rights as well, so that argument doesn't seem to stand very well). Birth control is still necessary as a contraceptive to avoid unwanted pregnancies, and it is also used to treat many illnesses. You want a humanist movement? There is one, my uneducated friend. It's called the feminist movement. I know there are flaws. I, myself, am against many of the arguments of many feminists, but when it comes down to the principle of the matter, I am for equality, so I am for feminism.

Many people say there's no war against women, but you need to open your scope. The United States of America is not the only country there is a problem. Look all around the world. Sex slaves exist. Rape exists. Acid attacks exist. There is, indeed, a war on women.

Approximately half of the population in the whole world are women. You need to remember that just because you, as an anti-feminist woman, do not feel oppressed, does not mean that others don't.

Tripping down the rabbit hole and landing in North Carolina.

There's not much to do in suburbia in the summer, especially in the night. Although it's the eve of the nation's blessed Independence Day, and many people are out festively watching celebratory fireworks, I had a different idea in mind -- so a friend and I got into a car and drove around. We found a jogging trail and followed it until we reached the edge of a river. Tranquility at its finest, but the overbearing darkness didn't make for such a calm experience. My eyesight was gone, so the rest of my senses were tripled in power, and adrenaline was pumping throughout my body with vigor. Ultimately though, it was a nice half hour watching the moon's reflection dissipate in the ripples of the river. The chorus of crickets outside nicely complemented the flickering of the fireflies. It finally started feeling like summer tonight. After a while, we hopped back into the car and drove around a bit more. We blasted music and sang at the top of our lungs, and then decided to go home. However, as we reached the driveway of my house, we realized we weren't quite ready to retire for the night. It was 11:00 PM -- where to go? We took a quick drive around my neighborhood to brainstorm, and then we found ourselves happily at the swimming pool in my neighborhood. Was this allowed? Technically, no; the pool officially closes at 9 PM, but it's not like we were swimming or anything. We were quiet and serene, so I punched in the code to enter, flipped off my sandals and dipped my toes in the warm water.

Over the years I've lived in my current neighborhood, I've learned a trick or too. One thing I love about my swimming pool are the lights; once the sun sets and the darkness lurks in the sky, I can easily flip a switch and turn the pool a magnificent aquamarine color. The lights under the water, on the sides, lit up with an incredible flame, and I could feel the goosebumps climb up the crevices of my spine.

It was one of those moments you hear about in over-cliched teen romance movies. But it was real. It was one of those moments that you want to envelope into your pocket and save for a time of angst and melancholy sorrow. The wondrous rumble of the chlorine water paired perfectly with the frog croaks and cricket chirps. Even better, the sky was filled with constellations and galactic stars. I could see the patches of silver clouds peeking, seeping, through the blanket of stars, and I felt so real. Everything felt so real. For a while now, I've felt a bit lost -- I tripped down the rabbit hole. Only unlike Alice, I was alone and desperate for a way out. Lately, I've started to feel like, particle by particle, I've started to disappear into the atmosphere; I could feel the fibers of my soul starting to separate and dissipate into the universe, but tonight, everything changed. I felt myself solidify into my being, into my core, into my essence. I felt the memories rush inside me like the blood that keeps me alive. I felt nostalgia, euphoria, and a certain kind of sadness. But nothing quite mattered at that moment because I have never felt that alive.

Maybe there were just enough stars in the sky tonight. Maybe the color of the pool was just the right shade of blue. Maybe the crickets chirped at just the right frequency. Either way, the events pieced together to form a night of adolescent excellence. So I traced the surface of the water with my fingertips and shared my fingerprints with the bubbles waltzing throughout the water. I made more than a memory; I made a moment. It was surreal, and part of me doesn't want to go to sleep tonight in fear that I will wake up tomorrow thinking such a magical moment could only be logically categorized as a dream.

Being it the summer before senior year, there are plenty of events in store. There are college essay planning excel spreadsheets. There is summer homework. I have internships, online classes, prepping for big tests, and so forth. Recently, I've taken a break. I sat down with my family at dinner and discussed some events going on -- Tim Howard being the hallmark of America, the stomach-twisting story of the child left in the summer heated car, the (ridiculous) new power given to employees over contraception choices, and of course, Hurricane Arthur. The breeze has been really nice today, but my prayers go out to those in North Carolina that are in a state of emergency. They were given a week of calm weather only to be greeted by a torrential downpour.

I am North Carolina.
Senior year is Hurricane Arthur.
Tonight was my calm before the storm.