We recognize that women's experiences are different from men's and we want to express that uniqueness, knowing that isolation and misunderstanding are barriers to feminist expression. We want to understand where women are coming from and how that affects the way we see the world. As feminists, we must give ourselves permission to validate and affirm all of our experiences, from working in the home and nurturing and caring for children to developing careers and breaking down barriers in non-traditional settings. We must also give ourselves permission to celebrate our diversity, to explore alternative family structures and spiritual practices, and to respect and honour our female selves.
Our work as feminists is to make people aware of the truths about feminism and to acknowledge that feminism is about choices. We think about these choices and truths logically and experientially and we work for change when these choices are denied.
We aren't equal because female values are not seen as valid in the structures which control our lives. We want women's experiences and women's values validated; we want to challenge the structures and change them so that they include women's perspectives and values in policies which affect us.
We recognize that we begin with different kinds of knowledge and power, and that by sharing this power and this knowledge, we are better able to develop strategies, to provide opportunities for education, and to support each other. We accept that there are differences in perception and understanding of feminist philosophy and feminist practice, and that through openness, communication and mutual respect, we are able to work with each other and to challenge each other to help us grow.
We acknowledge that the world is not a safe place for women, and therefore we must consider the cost of speaking out about women's unequal position in society. As a result, we know that women's ability to challenge the system is based on the strength of their safety net.
We also understand that there will be women who are able to address issues that other women may not want to or feel safe enough to address at this time and that this is a choice we all have the right to make. At the same time though, we know there are times when women have to be brave and stick their necks out; to take pride in their feminist belief and assert it publicly; to be a role model and identify oneself as a feminist. We must also confront the violence in our own lives -- the violence implicit in racism, homophobia and sexism, not just physical violence.
We recognize that even though there are issues which divide us, some of which centre around sexuality (such as abortion and homosexuality), we do not accept the further marginalization of women with whom we disagree. At the same time we accept our responsibility to learn about those issues and to talk about them; we have to make a space in which it is safe to talk about our disagreements.
