Learn before you judge!!

I can deal with people educated and versed in my views telling me that they disagree. It's everyone's right to have an opinion. Sadly, this also extends to people who form these opinions without any basis in fact, or any attempt at understanding the opposing side.
This from my ex husband this morning via email: "As for the feminism, just remember. Penis-envy is worse than heroine addiction, at least with heroine you can get your fix and only hurt friends and family. Try that one on for size." Uh...huh. As if that even made sense. Also, this from the man who once screamed at me followed by a week long silent treatment because I didn't verify to his friends that he had a 9" dick. And somehow *I* am the one with a penis issue.
If he so much as ever listened to me about feminism, about my beliefs, about what I've learned in my women's studies classes, I KNOW that he wouldn't say ridiculous things like that but to ask uninformed people to shut up spewing their own beliefs and simply listen for a minute seems far too much to ask.
If you're a feminist reading this, how many of these presuppositions have been applied to you?
1. You hate men
2. You want better treatment than men/want to keep men down
3. You're a lesbian
4. You don't wear a bra/don't shave your armpits/etc
That list could continue but this is straight off the top of my head. People think things about feminists without even bothering to learn. If this wasn't the case, then why would the first exercise in countless women's studies 101 classes be to rattle off a list of things any rational person would think (people deserve equal pay for equal work, people should be treated the same for health care, etc) and then tell the students that if they believe it then, oh *GASP*, you're a feminist!
Why else would the word 'feminist' be so poison? Why is it that when you ask an average girl of teenage age range (usually most common in this group) if they are feminist, they'll deny it even holding the beliefs of feminism? Why else would we hear this phrase that makes feminists shudder to this day: "I'm not a feminist but..."?
Something needs to be done about the feminist reputation. Women (and MEN) should be proud to stand together and fix the inequities we fight against, and to unite under the label of feminist. The facts need to be straightened, the damage done by the patriarchy reversed, and the cause renewed.
I believe the only way to this goal is through education. I try to talk to people and straighten out their misconceptions about feminism. I may end up teaching women's studies one day (education and money willing) and I will make it a point to show people that it's not a compilation of all the bad stereotypes they've heard, but rather a legitimate cause focused on the simple idea that women are people too and deserve the same consideration.
This isn't much of a conclusion but again, I'm new at this serious type of blog so please forgive. Meanwhile, go out and spread the good word. Correct people who call you a "feminazi" (make sure to point out that it was coined by that drug addled hate mongerer Limbaugh). We can make small changes in our own social circles and backyards and the ripples will fan out eventually.