Inaction, contrary to its reputation for being a refuge, is neither safe nor comfortable.

Fair treatment in the work force is no longer exclusively a labor issue, nor is it a women's issue - it is a fundamental economic issue.

What some men don't understand is that by opposing policies to reduce violence, promote equal pay and universal healthcare and voting to limit access to contraception and legal abortion, they are relegating women to another century, a time when men ruled exclusively and women were considered property and had to be guided by a firm masculine hand.

When there is violence against any person in society, because he or she is different, it threatens us all. Only by speaking out are any of us safe.

There are not many female role models to guide voters, and the tradition that a Southern woman's place is in the home still lingers in some quarters.

Volunteer activities can foster enormous leadership skills. The nonprofit professional volunteer world is a laboratory for self - realization.

There are no more excuses for leaving women out of the inner circles of power. Qualified women are everywhere. Women are ready for leadership; they just need to be identified and asked.