Iam writing in response to Amber Pawlik's most recent letter to the Collegian to dispel some myths that Pawlik uses to describe feminist groups. Pawlik states, "I've yet to meet a woman thankful to feminists. . ."

But Ms. Pawlik has met me, and I made it very clear that I am thankful that feminists are advocates for women to be in control of their own minds and bodies. My "inner-most self" is not as simple as Pawlik thinks; it is a complex combination of my sexuality, my emotion and my intellect. Saying that a woman's inner-most self is just "what's between our ears" oversimplifies female sexuality and is insulting. Also, Pawlik says, "Men no longer take initiative with women; instead they think they need our permission to do anything." Personally, if a man wants to "do anything" to me or my body, then he would be a fool not to ask for my permission. Additionally, Pawlik's statement that "Feminists destroy the fun in romance; scaring men into thinking all signs of affection are 'sexual harassment," is inflammatory. Feminists have not destroyed the fun in romance, as Pawlik says, but rather have proven that men are not the only ones capable of romance, and that grabbing a woman's ass at a party without her permission is NOT romantic.

The accusation that "feminists overinflate the issue of rape. . ." is also untrue. Anti-feminist groups underinflate the issue of rape in order to preserve the traditional roles of "man" and "woman" in romantic relationships. This presumption that men make the romance in a relationship also assumes that romantic relationships between women do not exist.

According to a survey conducted by the United States Department of Justice in 2000, every 90 seconds an American woman is raped. This statistic represents the atrocities that occur to women regularly. The point is that rape is a problem, whether it is one in four women or one in 50. If feminist groups can help to reduce that number through education, prevention and support programs, then we are gradually succeeding, and it is a shame that Pawlik has misinterpreted feminist ideology in order to see her name in print.