Gloria Steinem once said, “The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn.” In this quote she is simply stating that we must unlearn the old ways of our corrupt society. This is a concept that sadly many people still fail to grasp. Since the beginning of time women have been fighting for one simple thing; equal rights to their bodies, minds, and lives. Feminists have been begging people to unlearn the old ways of patriarchy and sexism with little cooperation from the other end of the argument. It is a relentless, endless, and seemingly hopeless battle that has been going on since the nineteenth century.

So, what exactly is feminism? When a woman states that she’s a feminist people tend to jump to conclusions. Suddenly she is painted as a man-hating liberal who believes women should rule the world. The truth is feminism is none of that.

The right to equal pay, the right to feel safe walking down the street alone, the right over their own body, the right to not be belittled and biased against when compared to a man; that’s the real ideas that feminists strive for. Women have shed so much blood, sweat, and tears begging people of higher power to change the way things are, but are still not successful enough.

As reported by Forbes in early 2023, the average white woman earns just 82 cents for every dollar a man earns. It is even less for women of color with African American women earning 60 cents and Latina women earning 55 cents for every dollar a man makes. This is just one example of the unfair treatment of women.

Women have proved time and time again that they have hearts and souls as well as ambition and strength just like men. They are slowly paving the way for change and a better future, but is it enough?  How long will it take for things to change for the better and forever?