A Theme Worth Thinking About: Women and Peace

Last week, I was privileged to attend an event at the striking Swedish Embassy to honor PeaceXPeace founder Patricia Smith Melton's new book 60 Years, 60 Voices, celebrating the wisdom and stories of 60 Israeli and Palestinian women over 60 years. Listening to the presentation and talking to the many wonderful women (and men) I was privileged to meet, once again I was reminded of the many differences between women and men. Women are born in a word of wombs and circles. Men are born pointed and more linear. As a psychologist I have been known to say that women cooperate first, compete second. Men compete first, and then cooperate. I came away wondering what would happen if more women raised their powerful voices cooperatively in unison. What power they have. In fact, aren't women the ones who swung this last election?