There is a certain image associated with the word feminist. A feminist is generally believed to be a strong, independent and outspoken person who isn’t afraid of discussing gender equality. It is also believed that they do so more often than not. But not everyone is so outspoken and readily prepared to argue for the cause. So the question is: Can there be such a thing as a passive feminist?

Perhaps the greatest contributing factor to this image of the vocal and accomplished feminist is the way the media presents popular feminist icons. Role models such as Beyoncé, Angelina Jolie, Taylor Swift, Malala Yousafzai and Emma Watson are all celebrated for their feminist views.

That may be why passive feminism sounds counterintuitive. Some argue that without a serious voice and deliberate action, equality for women won’t become a reality. The women listed above, for example, constantly discuss and promote female empowerment, encouraging their followers to do the same. But what about men?

Perhaps passive feminism is more evident with the men in the world. While there also exist celebrated male feminist role models such as John Legend, Seth Meyers and Barack Obama, not many think of men as feminists or bring them up often in conversation. There is often a bias when bringing men into the discourse surrounding feminism.

Men may be more likely to be passive feminists due to the stigma surrounding it. As male feminists, men are more likely to be subjected to the question, Why are you a feminist? This seems to accuse men of having ulterior motives for calling themselves feminists. Another reason men may appear passive is because most feminist concerns lie with injustices faced by women, despite the fact that both genders are subject to sexism.

It may be hard for a male feminist to take a position when females begin the debate of gender inequality directed towards them and vice versa. In a Huffington Post Poll carried out in 2013, only 23 percent of females and 16 percent of males identified as feminists, and only 7 percent of these feminists stated that they believed that most men were feminists.

The stigma may be due to the very word itself. Feminism seems to attach itself to members of the female sex rather than both genders. Many have also argued about the term and its implications — websites like reddit and other open forums have debated the term, particularly the word feminist against the word equalist. Despite this debate, the fact is that feminism is a movement for gender equality. Arguing about its terminology does not change its purpose.

Feminism is collective, meaning that it requires everyone, both men and women, to join together in order to succeed. This collective spirit is why most feminists encourage supporters to speak up and take action. Though active participation is urged, forcing those less expressive to take action does not ensure gender equality.

The point should be made that not everyone has to be vocal or actively protesting in order to be considered a feminist. Being less vocally expressive shouldn’t determine one’s stance in a movement for gender equality.

Sure, the media promotes active and vocal feminism through famous celebrities and accomplished speakers; however, as a collective movement, even the most soft-spoken of people can be feminists. Why should there be inequality in the way feminists view one another?

Feminism is a constantly progressing movement. It is geared toward everyone and though the hope is to empower people to take action, not all people necessarily have the urge to do so. Be it because of the stigma attached to feminism or other factors, whether or not a person decides to act on their feminist beliefs does not change the fact that a passive feminist, male or female, is a feminist all the same.