As defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary, feminism is "the theory of political, economic and social equality of the sexes". It's not about the belief that women are superior to men, but about the need for women to receive the same treatment they deserve. There are many physical differences between men and women, but this is no excuse for unfair treatment. Women work as hard as men but earn less. Women are expected to be poised and ladylike. And millions of women are afraid to go out alone because of the risk of being sexually assaulted. But men don't have to worry about getting to the car themselves or making sure they meet society's standards for what is attractive. Although some individuals believe that males are biologically superior to females, as a society we need everyone to be viewed and treated as equal. If left unattended, gender discrimination will continue because women earn less than men (even when doing the same job), women are forced into unfair and sometimes outdated gender stereotypes, and sexual violence is becoming increasingly frequent. Men are paid more than women; it's a fairly well-known fact. In 2012, women still earned just 77 cents for every dollar men earned, and the situation is worse for minorities. Laura Bassett of the Huffington Post points out that “within some minority groups, the wage gap is even worse: African-American women earn 69 cents for every dollar paid to African-American men, and Latinas earn just 58 cents per dollar compared to Americans . Latin men. The disparity increases when these women are compared to non-Hispanic white men” (5). This wage gap is still present even when a man and a woman have identical education, the same amount of hours of experience, and a... half of paper... lt." Effects of sexual violence. |. RAINN |. National Rape, Abuse and Incest Network, Web. 7 April 2014. “Gender Stereotypes.” Web 04 April 2014. .Hegewisch, Ariane, Claudia Williams and Angela Edwards of Occupation, March 2013. Web. April 5, 2014. .Laura, Basset "Women Still Made 77 Cents on Men's Dollar in 2012: Report." April 5, 2014. "Stats" Rape Statistics | |. 2014. .