Until recently, if I were to be asked if I was a feminist, my reply would have been a noncommittal, “Not really.”

Of course, being a woman, I was never opposed to women’s rights, nor did I doubt my ability to be as capable as men in most situations. Claiming to be a Christian feminist however, still seemed extreme; as though one of the main requirements was to hate men, or at least regard them as the weaker sex.

Recent events, articles, videos, and social networking posts have both inspired and troubled me enough to reclaim the word feminism for what it is: providing help to women who are being stripped of their basic rights or humanity.