I am a man. With that sentence alone, I might be viewed as privileged. I could be antagonized because I have some unspoken privileges. But like everyone else in the world, I have been judged based on what I am.

These days, the media is scrutinized for the objectification and over-sexualization of the female body. To be clear, I agree that women in pop culture and ads are over-sexualized and objectified to an absurd amount. I don’t want to watch soft porn for a shampoo commercial.

However, there are also similar ads that portray unrealistic and uncommon depictions of men. When the media teaches women to be super thin with long flowing hair and shimmering legs, they also teach men to have a chiseled jaw line with short, slick hair and muscles like a viking.

Those ads that show women in skimpy bikinis laughing and spraying water at each other while surrounding a buff stud with arms as big as his head and some sexy stubble on his chin teach women unhealthy concepts of what beauty and success are also teach men the same thing. To be happy and attractive to women is to have golden skin, the ability to throw cinders, and be ruggedly handsome. Not to mention the voice that can melt butter.

And I’ve had these experiences in real life. I went to a gym to visit a friend of mine, and when I walked in, one of the other members went, ‘Hey, your girlfriend’s here’. Now, compared to most people in gyms, I’m considered kind of little.

What does it mean to be a man? As society clashes with itself, with people of all sorts of different views and beliefs arguing and bickering over what the norm should be, the definition of being a “perfect man” becomes forever harder to fill. A man must be tough but gentle, instigative but not pushy, sensitive but not a wuss, brave but not cocky. Yes, these are generalizations, but they were set by society.

For example, eating disorders in this country and in the world have become an almost exclusively female problem with so many female models and celebs trying to match society’s ideas of “Beauty.” Essentially, guys need to be big and girls need to be small.

According to Mirasol, a recovery center dedicated to integrative treatment of eating disorders, at any given time, 20 million women will have an eating disorder at some point. At the same time, 10 million men will have an eating disorder as well. However, men in our culture have been taught that this is almost an exclusively female problem and are scared to speak out due to fear of being ridiculed.

This is merely one example of something that could be considered privileged in women’s favor, rather than in the favor of men. With all the media trends showing constant feminist issues, which again are important and need coverage, the fact that men have to deal with their own unique issues in today’s world sometimes gets pushed to the wayside.

As a man living in our culture, I’m always being told that I am the source of suffering. That, because of my nature, I’m prone to violence and domination. These generalizations are often made about men with little to no repercussions.

Anita Sarkeesian is one such person who can get away with blaming men for everything and is not only excused, but also rewarded for it.

Sarkeesian is a videogames journalist, a term I use very loosely for her, and hardcore feminist who, on social media sites such as Twitter, openly makes remarks such as, “We need to teach men in our society to be less violent” and states that “There is no such thing as sexism against men. Sexism is prejudice+Power,” which is not true. The official definition of sexism is having prejudice against a certain sex, nothing more.

Sarkeesian is found on Time’s 2015 Top 100 most influential people. A women who openly stereotypes and has a prejudice against men. The woman who blames mass shootings on not poor gun control or mental illness, but masculinity.

Masculinity is a word some associate with traits such as strength, honor, and courage. Others associate it with violence, anger, and ruthlessness. More messages that continue to conflict what I should be as a man. Can I not just be me?

This is something that should be universal. Everyone, no matter your race, sex, gender, or religion, has issues because even though there are minorities and majorities, we are all individuals. We should take pride and be who we are.

Our society likes to judge individuals, whether it’s men judging men, women judging women, each judging the other. Remember that everyone is unique and everyone is different. Don’t allow statistics or stereotypes to form your opinions of people.

I take pride in my masculinity, as I think everyone, both men and women, should. I also believe that everyone needs some femininity. Everyone, no matter what, should be free of the fear of being blamed for what people before them have done.

I am a man. I am not violent or aggressive, and I try to respect everyone. I’m not an outlier, a special case, or unique. I’m the norm.

I don’t work out often or have impressive physical features. I believe in equality and think everyone deserves a chance. No one should be cast as the villain based on nothing more than what they are.