At least, it is now. A feminist is no longer considered a woman or man fighting for the rights of women. Now, too many people think of feminists as man-haters, out to rid the male half of the human race of any rights at all, and it's sad. However, the word wasn't always so full of negative connotations. Not too bad.
Equality is a clean word.
But feminism has moved beyond the fight for equality. Women aren't fighting for the same rights as men anymore. Now they're fighting for more rights, which actually defeats the purpose of the original movement. While there are women and men out there who are truly fighting for equality, the few people who view every male as the enemy overshadow their efforts. If so, the future doesn't look very bright.