I think being a feminist at your age is really important, because in my experience, early adolescence was a time in which scrutiny of a girl's appearance and personality is at its most intense. I wish I had had stronger feminist convictions because they would have helped me preserve my self-esteem during that rough time. Don't ever allow people to tell you what to believe. I'm sure a lot of your classmates would agree with your feminist beliefs, so take any opportunity to educate them.
Stay strong and welcome to feministing!

You rock. Seriously. I wish I was anywhere near as intelligent and self aware as you at your age. I'm 20 now, and I promise you that once you get to college it will be easier to find like minded women (and men).

In the meantime, you have a huge opportunity here to plant the seeds of feminist thought in your classmates. They don't know about feminism because no one's ever told them. You know who can? You! Don't force it, but even bringing things up in a casual way, and introducing them to certain thoughts can help them a lot. Every woman has feminist thoughts. Encourage them. And don't let anyone get you down, you can always turn to us for support.

I'm a young feminist too! Haha I'm a few years older than you, and I definitely see your problem. Even my very liberal friends, who share most of the same ideas as me, think of 'feminist' as a bad, derogatory title.

I'm proud of you (and all feminists, everywhere!) for embracing the name and truly not being a afraid to stand up for what you believe in. Continue to kick some misogynic ass!

"Being 13 I understand there is a bit of controversy surrounding the fact that 13 year olds haven't experienced the real prejudice that women are faced with in the 'real world'"

Don't sell yourself short. We are indoctrinated with most harmful gender stereotpyes in early childhood. So, by now, you've witnessed a lot of gender-based unfairness and have seen adults spew a lot of sexism. The thing is most very young people (and, sadly, most adults) don't think about it much. Let me add my voice to the chorus and praise you for being so smart and aware!!!

I think it's awesome that you're here at Feministing, and I'm very glad you plan to use this site as a support in your feminism. I'm a third year college student in North America, and your post sent me back to my years as a young teenage feminist.

It's that time when you're in between adults telling you you can be anything you want, and adults and peers telling you which things you can't do because of your gender.

It's that time when you're pushed to be pretty, to be hip and stylish, and to be interested in magazines and boys, and little else.

You already know that it's not going to be easy, but you can help your peers to learn about feminism. It starts small, simply by talking about what you believe in and emulating what a feminist is, and that it's not the negative stereotype so many people hear about. You can simply point to news stories and say, "See? Isn't this messed up? This is why we still need feminism." You can help your peers deal with the sexism they face in everyday life.

Me? I wanted to play little league football, but my father wouldn't let me. I decided I wanted to be a pilot in the Air Force, and my father started showing me news pieces about all the rapes and sexism at the Air Force Academy. I wasn't discouraged. It wasn't easy, but I fought through. I'd like you to know, that if you'd like to talk, I'm here.

I would say that I began to consider myself a feminist when I was about 14 or so, and it was hard to find even one other girl my age who thought herself to be a feminist, let alone one who was outspoken about it. Fortunately, at least in my experience that does change. As we got older, more of my friends starting taking Women's Studies and Women's Literature courses, more of them became active in women's rights and yup, became feminists.

It's frustrating I know. Especially because I found the time between puberty and when I learned about feminism (ages 12-14) was the hardest for me, and I wish more young girls would get involved with it, for their own sakes if nothing else.

So congratulations to you, and don't stop trying because you'll encourage those young people around you.

Don't let anyone tell you you're too young to have a real opinion. I wish I'd been self-aware enough at age 13 to call myself a feminist. I kind of think of myself as a pre-feminist before I got to college. I thought like one, but didn't know it and needed more exposure.

You are so smart and so lucky to already understand what it took me years to realize. Keep showing people what a kick-ass young feminist looks like :)