My brothers and I grew up in a home with parents who were and still are very civically active. Both my parents were high schools student in Washington D.C. during the 60s and my mother was very active in advocating for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. Needless to say we were taught to respect women, fight injustice and support those who are being suppressed.

I always considered myself a feminist until I started to talk about issues that uniquely face men and the attacks on my character by today's feminist because of it.

I cannot associate myself with a movement that is full of hate, a movement that refuses to recognize the challenges men face, a movement that condones and encourages violence.

I will still support addressing injustices and challenges women face (specially in parts of the world where women have no rights at all) but I will not become the person I am trying to stop, a person full of hate.

My mother who taught us by her own actions to fight for equality sadly would not be welcomed into today's feminism because she also believes their are issues that men face that need to be addressed. She also believes in men's rights.