Merriam-Webster defines feminism as the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes. Today, many women misunderstand the concept of feminism, and this lack of understanding proves that feminism is, indeed, archaic.

Feminism has come a long way since its origins in the 1800’s. Title IX, the Nineteenth Amendment, and the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision are a few of the many accomplishments of the feminist movement. Slowly, women have gained more ground in the fight for equality. However, in 2014, feminism doesn’t have the same meaning as it did when the movement began, or even as it did in the 1970’s. The words “feminist” and “feminism” now have as much a negative connotation as they do a positive one.

When a woman declares herself a feminist, society labels her as a whiny, dependent woman who relies on the mere fact of being a woman to get by, instead of her intelligence. This notion underscores the issue because feminism is simply about gender equality, not about using the fact that you are a woman to get what you want in life.

Women who call themselves feminists typically identify with the label because they feel they need to. They are ignorant to the true philosophy behind feminism and hide behind being a woman, rather than using their brain to show the world who they are.

Whether it is women or society that has the wrong impression of feminism, it doesn’t take away from the fact that some women use their gender as a way to get the job or the promotion. In doing so, these women are doing a disservice to themselves because they are missing opportunities to gain more credibility and experience.

Granted, women still make only seventy-seven cents to each man’s dollar but, when you factor in that men are more likely to work more frequently than women, women actually make closer to eighty-eight cents to each man’s dollar. Women are also more likely to enter lower-paying fields. This is not to say, however, that women cannot enter higher-paying fields.

Although women still have a ways to go before complete gender equality, we are at a point where we can drop the “feminist” label but continue to work for equality. Feminism has become misinterpreted, misused and misjudged. People will respect a hardworking woman more than a woman who calls herself a feminist. Therefore, the way to achieve complete gender equality is to peel the feminist sticker off our foreheads and continue to work hard, in addition to taking new risks to pave the way for future generations.