Women are not alike. We have unique experiences, based on class, race, age, sexual preference, national origin, education, and the unique structure of our own families and communities. It is important that we embrace our differences--as an act of resistance--as a means of dispelling the myth that all women are alike simply because we are similar in body. Moreover, it is essential that we understand our true strength lies in our difference. It is this wide range of experience that ensures that women have much knowledge to contribute, both to our own struggle to be validated as women, and to a global struggle to validate all people, just as they are.

Despite our amazing differences, all women do have one tragic shared experience; in every class, in every ethnicity, in every nation, and at every age, our meaningful perspectives are valued less, simply because we are women. Many people are becoming aware that forced silence hurts all women, and for this, I rejoice-and yet, another serious consequence stems from the pervasive attitude that women aren't worth listening to, and this consequence is seldom, if ever, discussed.

When women are silenced in the public political arena, our essential knowledge is absent in the construction of public policy, and our perspectives are non-existent in the actions of our leaders. An informed decision cannot be made for the good of the people when half of the people are not accounted for. Women are a major part of the social fabric of every society. Eliminating our perspectives from any decision-making process entails not only ignoring women, but also falsely evaluating every social structure that involves women. At this point, these structures include all primary and secondary educational institutions, nearly all families, nearly all corporations and businesses and our entire global economy, all organized religions, nearly all political organizations, all health care organizations, and most militaries, including the United States military. This means not only do the uninformed decisions of our leaders harm women, they harm all people.

So many of the current conflicts in our global community stem from the fact that only a few male perspectives inform the decisions made by our political leaders. Our world desperately needs the benefit of women's unique perspectives. Often we are terrified to challenge the authority of 'expert' men. We fear being classified as anti-American, or as bad wives, or simply as uppity women. Truthfully, 'expert' male political leaders are not doing their jobs, and they cannot do their jobs without women. Political leaders need to hear our perspectives if they are to make informed decisions. Male political leaders need women as fellow political leaders if they are to hear our perspective on a regular, reliable basis. It is our duty, as women, as citizens of our world, and as citizens of our respective societies, to make sure that our perspectives inform every decision making process. It is our duty to be openly critical if our insight suggests our leaders are making poor decisions. It is our duty, as intelligent, knowledgeable women, to ensure that we are heard, and that the world benefits from our valuable experience.

If we do not tell our stories, they will be told for us. Only, they will not be told the way we would tell them. Our truths will be distorted, our lives will be made to sound petty, and our important, necessary perspectives will be discounted. We will continue in silence, and our world will continue to be flawed and incomplete. Now is the time to speak. Fear no criticism-a very few men have much to lose if public political decisions are made for the good of the people. Soon enough, others will thank us for speaking up.

Appreciate the brave authors who have contributed to this issue, and hold their example as your own goal. Find the strength to believe in the power of what you know. Trust the value of your truth. Believe in it and share it, not only when people are willing to hear, but until they are willing to listen.

With the power of my own voice,

Pamela Fraker-Bachilla
Editor-in-Chief
Voices Magazine