Feminism

If you asked me last week if I'm a feminist, I would have said yes. And if you ask me today I will say yes as well, although it seems I may not adhere to the extreme conditions that some feminists demand. I do agree that women are an oppressed group, and as a female I can identify with these circumstances. But maybe I am too inclusive for feminism, because I don't believe it's the ONLY perspective I identify with and could work from. And I dislike the argument that males should be excluded from feminist research. (Unless we're afraid they'll get contaminate our clubhouse with cooties.)
One thing I've always struggled with in understanding the feminist perspective is the idea that "The personal is the political." Feminist counseling theory states this as well. My understanding of this statement is that women's struggles are political struggles, and they must be politicized in order to create change. Is this incorrect? Because I'm not so sure I feel that movements for change must go through public or political processes in order to evolve.