Today, Karl Stefanovic showed us what a feminist looks like.

With much of the nation watching on Friday morning, Today host Karl Stefanovic did what so few men in high-profile and high-powered positions do in this day and age. He called out sexism for what is it.

He didn’t do it privately or comment on the ridiculous double standards women face every day casually over a knock-off beer at the end of the work week.

Speaking about an article published by The Daily Mail on Thursday evening, the 42-year-old said, “This website specialises in shaming women, for what they wear, for how much they weigh, for how much weight they have lost, for going to the beach. It has a despicable track record for denigrating women for who they are, for choices they make and for denigrating women full stop.”

He didn't preface his statement by saying that his feelings come from being a father to a girl or the son of an amazing mother or the partner of a talented woman, as so many men attempting to stand up for what's right often do.

He continued, "The Daily Mail has a long, despicable track record of denigrating women, of ridiculing women and objectifying women. This is the same site that tried to suggest that Lisa [Wilkinson] and Sylvia [Jeffreys] couldn't work together, presumably because they are both women. The same site that tried to same Sunrise host Samantha Armytage for wearing so-called granny pants."

He simply said it straight and said it with heart.

The article which Stefanovic's speech was tied to was published on Thursday evening. In it, the website published photographs of Stefanovic at a regional caravan park with a Channel 9 producer, cans of pre-mixed alcoholic drinks in hand.

The inference being made was that men, women and alcohol don't mix and that the three cannot go together without a sexual encounter following shortly thereafter. Importantly, it was an inference that left the "committed, talented, hardworking and totally professional" producer in tears and Stefanovic compelled to say something.

In the eyes of many, Stefanovic is not without sin himself. In October last year, the news of his highly publicised separation from Cassandra Thornburn was followed closely by the news that he had already moved on with a new, substantially younger, woman. And in June he used an uneducated and offensive slur against the transgender community on-air.

In other words, he is not perfect and he should not be the poster boy for high-profile men doing the right thing. Because the point is, there shouldn't be a need for a poster boy in the first place.

Personal feelings aside, we need men like Karl Stefanovic around. Men whose voices are heard and whose words hold weight. Men who are on our side and willing to shout it loud and proud and battle for our right to be treated equally.

What did you think about Karl Stefanovic's speech on Friday morning?