Great Throughts Treasury

"Man-made barriers, laws, social customs and prejudices continue to keep a majority of women in an inferior position without full control of our lives and bodies. From infancy throughout life, in personal and public relations, in the family, in the schools, in every occupation and profession, too often we find our individuality, our capabilities, our earning powers diminished by discriminatory practices and outmoded ideas of what a woman is, what a woman can do, and what a woman must be... We lack effective political and economic power We have only minor and insignificant roles in making, interpreting and enforcing our laws, in running our political parties, businesses, unions, schools and institutions, in directing the media, in governing our country, in deciding issues of war or peace. We do not seek special privileges, but we demand as a human right a full voice and role for women in determining the destiny of our world, our nation, our families and our individual lives."

"We are here to move history forward. We are women from every State and Territory in the Nation. We are women of different ages, beliefs and lifestyles. We are women of many economic, social, political, racial, ethnic, cultural, educational and religious backgrounds. We are married, single, widowed and divorced. We are mothers and daughters. We are sisters. "