The lights dim, the crowd quiets in anticipation, and the word “FEMINIST” flashes on the stage in large pink letters behind Beyonce’s silhouette.

Cue the controversy.

This was just one moment in the segment of Beyonce’s performance dedicated to the feminist movement. During her song “Flawless,” she played a recording from Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie about society’s standards for women. Part of the recording said, “We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller. We say to girls, ‘You can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise, you will threaten the man.’”

This 30 seconds of the 2014 VMAs triggered everything from praise to disgust on social networks almost immediately.

“I think it’s rad that feminist was in all caps on screen behind a pop star on MTV seen by so many people and girls who will be impacted by it,” Bethany Cosentino (of the rock band Best Coast) wrote on Twitter.

Another comment found on an MTV article read, “Beyonce is anything but a feminist! She has grown famous by an industry that abuses through over-sexualization of women and uses women as a commodity! What a joke, Bey.”

Whatever the opinion on “The Queen’s” performance, the incident reignited larger conversations about feminism and its meaning.

Feminism, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is “the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.” And as defined by Beyonce’s VMAs performance, supporting “the social, political and economic equality of the sexes.”

The term has faced criticism, from men and women alike. There is even an entire blog dedicated to dissing the movement, called “Women Against Feminism.” On this site, women hold up signs reading why they do not believe they deserve the same rights and privileges as men.

Sara Hare, professor of sociology, said the term has been bashed in the media and in culture.

“I would argue that people are afraid of the impact of feminism,” Hare said.

Hare said there are two groups—the oppressed and the privileged. The fear, Hare explained, is the result of the privileged group feeling a threat to its existing power.

Aside from fear, confusion also seems to be a factor when it comes to not backing feminism.

Bryce Slavik, undecided freshman, was asked if he considers himself a feminist.

“If I say yes, does that mean I treat them good or bad? Women, that is,” asked Slavik.

Slavik was not alone in being confused about the definition of feminist.

Eli Walsh, business junior, said he is not a feminist because he is not a woman. However, several very famous men have identified themselves as feminists—John Legend, Ryan Gosling—even Harry Potter is a feminist (Daniel Radcliff).

But when presented with the fact that men can also identify as feminists, and asked if his answer had changed, Walsh said, “I mean, not really. I feel like women have it pretty well made these days.”

Meghan Kahn, assistant professor of psychology, said she thinks most men and women actually don’t identify themselves as feminists. She said she believes there to be a negative connotation that stems from the thought that being a feminist means not supporting men.

“Wanting equal chances for women also means that men have equal chances,” Kahn explains.

However there are students, men and women both, who fear not the term “feminist” and do identify with the movement.

When Lianna Gargano, criminal justice sophomore, was asked what feminism meant to her, she said, “It’s believing in the equality of men and women and fighting for those rights to be balanced.” Gargano said she is a feminist because she believes women should be seen as equals, not inferiors.

Cameron Mitchell, history sophomore, identifies himself as a feminist, “in the respect of equal rights.”

Samantha Kiesler, biochemistry sophomore, also stands by feminism.

“Women have just as much right as men do to hold higher jobs, to make certain decisions, to be president and so on,” Kiesler said.

Whether you support feminism, fear feminism, or plain don’t get feminism, the definition itself doesn’t change. It isn’t about hating men. It isn’t strictly for women.

Feminism is about allowing women the same privileges that society has automatically granted men, because as Kahn puts it, “I don’t tell men that they should or should not take Viagra and I don’t want them telling me if I should have a baby or should avoid breastfeeding in public.”

 In the Sept. 22 print edition of this story, Bryce Slavik is in one instance mistakenly referred to as “Bryce Slavic.” We apologize for this error.