Objectively, the fact that the new Miss USA is a black woman, a nuclear scientist, and an advocate for science education is pretty fantastic. Miss District of Columbia Kára McCullough dazzled her way into her crowning moment, but unfortunately not without perpetuating one of the oldest myths about feminism as an ideology.

In response to the question, “What do you consider feminism to be and do you consider yourself a feminist?”, McCullough took a moment before responding with:

“As a woman scientist in the government, I'd like to transpose the word feminism to equalism. I try not to consider myself this diehard, like, I don't really care about men.”

McCullough then went on to explain that she not only appreciated, but wanted to inspire more women in and into leadership roles, especially in her own field of science. But by equating feminism with hating men, she inadvertently dismisses not just the many men who identify as feminists, but more importantly diminishes the gender equality that feminism has championed over the years — including workplace equality.

Twitter users quickly chimed in with their “Girl, what…” reactions. (Many of the responses also side-eyed McCullough’s assertion that healthcare is a privilege, not a right.)

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

What's wrong with being a feminist Miss DC USA!?!? Who says feminists hate men? Gurl!!! #MissUSA pic.twitter.com/jr5Hc5p2DN — Makho Ndlovu (@makhondlovu) May 15, 2017

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

I was happy that they crowned another black woman Miss USA... until I heard her thoughts on feminism and healthcare pic.twitter.com/TXQ31rijcj — 💫 (@2Naes_) May 15, 2017

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

me hopping on twitter and seeing that the newly crowned miss USA thinks that feminism means you hate men pic.twitter.com/SmIc9pPLFk — eliza but wearing a mask (@allrosecolored2) May 15, 2017

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Me bc Miss DC won after those bum answers #MissUSA pic.twitter.com/BmcSw6lIO8 — lily (@lilyanx3) May 15, 2017

For those users who found fault with McCullough’s equalist answer, they latched onto Miss New Jersey Chhavi Verg’s response to the same question:

“I do consider myself a feminist. There's this misconception when people that feminism is women being better than men, but it's really not. It's a fight for equality.”

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

#MissUSA Me writing a letter about how DOC shouldn't have won and how New Jersey got robbed pic.twitter.com/m0V0Lb7ynG — . (@fentyseve) May 15, 2017

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Hands down New Jersey had the best answer #MissUSA — Catie Malone (@catiemalone) May 15, 2017

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

I feel like people are afraid of the word, "feminism." Miss New Jersey is the only one that FULLY answered that question. #missusa — Instigator (@Norchell706) May 15, 2017

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Now that's how you answer that final question. Miss New Jersey USA did it for me. #MissUSA pic.twitter.com/Z6ScUVhMCm — Makho Ndlovu (@makhondlovu) May 15, 2017

Let it be clear, in 2017, that judging a person based on a “gotcha” feminism question isn’t the most helpful or educational dialogue. Miss USA’s title and visibility mean that she gets to promote actual goals, which have equalist values that are also feminist values. The two have never been mutually exclusive terms, and there’s no value at all in pretending otherwise.

Follow Lilian on Twitter.

Lilian Min I'm the night shift at Cosmopolitan.com and a writer and reporter around the web.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io