Feminism, to me, was always a bit of a tricky vocabulary word that was hard to truly define. I still thought it was important, though, and that’s why I decided to conduct this interview. Christen Helper, a history major at Henry Ford CC, sums it up as “equal rights.” I asked Alexandra Albert, an anthropology major at Wayne State that specializes in women’s studies to fill me in, and it made me realize how very sensible the movement really is.

How would you define feminism?

Alie: To me it's really just as simple as thinking that women deserve all choices and all opportunities.

Do you think there's a stigma with calling yourself a feminist?

I think there is a total stigma in calling yourself a feminist, so much so that the simple act of doing so can eliminate your opinion as valid in some circles. That is exactly why it is still so important. People who mock feminism or attempt to downplay its significance are missing the point.

What are some current topics pertaining to the topic?

There are three waves of feminism. The first wave concerned itself with suffrage and basic independence, second wave was the sixties sexual revolution, women's rights movement of "bra-burning" era, as many people know it. And third is essentially modern, dealing with issues pertaining to the way women are treated in the media, LGBT issues, reproductive rights, wage equality, and rights for those in the sex trade to name a few.

Way to sum it up! Who is your ideal feminist figure, and why?

That's hard to boil down considering the 3 waves, since there are wonderful feminist women in all eras. For the current day, I am most inspired by women like Tina Fey and Amy Pohler. I think both of them exemplify feminism in various ways. Both women are involved in the male-dominated world of comedy, succeeding and surpassing expectations left and right. They both play openly and boldly feminist characters on hit TV shows, essentially forcing the average American sitcom watcher to experience a strong, funny, feminist when they may have never thought about feminist issues before in their lives.

So Tina Fey's like the Jon Stewart of feminism in a way.

Yes, very much so. But I would argue that Jon Stewart is a feminist, and so is Stephen Colbert. They both talk about women's issues much more than any other news network I've watched.

Very good. What can someone interested in feminism do to get involved?

Don't be afraid to call yourself a feminist, whatever your gender. It's not a bad word - it just means you believe in equality. Also, think critically about gender roles and speak up when things don't seem fair.

Feminism has been through many stages, but it’s still just as important as ever. Depression is higher than women for easily imaginable reasons. The typical American woman works more in her household and work, where she typically earns and gets promoted less. Sexism is a sneaky bandit of opportunities, self-esteem, and healthy relationships. But it doesn’t have to be. Whatever your level of involvement, I believe that simply being conscious of inequality can improve matters.