In the last century or so, feminism has grown tremendously. With the help of social media in the last decade, it has been able to reach even more people.

However, with its rising popularity, a false narrative has also grown stronger.

Some men do not support feminism because they think it puts women above them. In reality, feminism is about equality for both men and women.

For example, feminism strives to erase toxic masculinity in society, such as the old-age belief that men do not cry. This is toxic because it pushes men to bottle up their emotions and not seek the help and support they need. Not only is this absolutely terrible for mental health, but it can also push some men to depression and even suicide.

What fools many people into believing this narrative is toxic feminism. This mindset is almost the same as the patriarchal system we live in today — it just favors women in the same toxic way. While trying to push for equality, toxic feminists may cover up wrongdoings by other women – which only leads them further away from their original goal.

To reach harmony between the genders, people as a whole must learn to accept each other’s mistakes and learn from them instead of holding them against each other.

Another type of feminism — nicknamed “modern feminism” or the second wave of feminism that rose in the ’60s – also plays a part. This type of feminism was more individualistic, focusing on things like marriage, kids, and personal habits.

These values cause others to undermine feminism as they do not focus on striving to make women as equal and less oppressed as a whole. Some modern thinkers say society instead should focus on issues like female genital mutilation, child marriage, and education for girls, as work in these areas will help society progress more.

Besides obvious misogyny, internal misogyny is also a big problem.

Centuries-long beliefs are still present today and some women are taught many sexist things and push for extreme gender stereotypes. This leads them to hate other women who do not conform to their standards.

Already so many men are against the idea of feminism, and with the hatred of other women, it is hard to progress as a society.

Despite all of this, it is important not to let the negative aspects of feminism discredit the things it has accomplished.

Before 1920 women were not even allowed to vote, and they could not open a bank account without their husband’s signature until 1974. Modern feminism achieved victories like the passing of the Equal Pay Act in 1963, which requires that men and women in the same workplace be given equal pay for equal work. Roe v. Wade in 1973 protected a woman’s right to an abortion.

Today, there are figures like Malala Yousafzai fighting for the right to women’s education. The “Me Too” movement, originally used in 2006 by sexual assault survivor and activist Tarana Burke, is a movement against sexual abuse, harassment, and rape that publicizes real stories of victims. This puts into perspective how common sexual assault is, allowing survivors a more comfortable space to open up and talk.