Emma Watson and Malala Yousafzai, some of the most influential women in the world today, sat down together to talk about something that effects us all: feminism. They reach a powerful conclusion where Malala identifies as a feminist.

During the very first SHS Journalism class of 2015 editorial board discussion, we not only questioned why Malala would hesitate to identify as a feminist but also what it means to be a feminist.

We explored the stigmas behind feminism and how it effects the movement.

The debate over the word feminism is taken more seriously and given more attention than feminism itself and what it stands for. After careful consideration, we all concluded that feminism really boils down to human decency and one of the biggest barriers to making change is the name feminism itself. Renaming it “human equality” or just “equality” would seriously shift people’s viewpoints on the issue.

Bouncing ideas and getting everyone’s, especially the guys, viewpoint on feminism brought new ideas to the table and fresh perspectives and helped us come to the consensus that feminism is really just about being kind regardless of any physical attribute.