Don't tell me you're not a Feminist IF

you believe women and men ought to have equal access to the educational, professional, political, and social arenas. 

you believe women and men are equally capable, intelligent, and creative. 

you believe women, like men, should have the opportunity to determine their own paths in life. 

*** 
Contrary to what my students may think, being a feminist does not equate to burning your bra and hating men. (That's not to say some feminists don't do those things, but I'd venture to say with the cost of undergarments these days, most savvy women aren't buying 'em just to burn 'em.) 

Feminist is not a dirty word. It's not a shameful word. It's not an ugly word. It's a beautiful word, and you should be proud to use it to describe yourself. I am.

A feminist is someone who supports women, their opportunies, their abilities, their dreams. You don't have to believe men and women are "exactly the same" to be a feminist. What you must believe is that men and women are both worth the same. If that's the case, it follows both should be given the same chances in life. 

So, don't tell me you're not a feminist unless you also tell me that I don't have the abilities and/or intelligence of the guy next door. In that case, get ready for a brawl. 

And don't even talk to me about heavy lifting - I don't know many guys who can squeeze into the tight spaces I can wiggle into, and that's as handy as hauling a flat screen from one room to the next anyday.