Women

While silk-suited Anne Taylor Fleming (“These Silk-Suited Professionals Are Fooling Themselves,” Commentary, July 14) was busy chastising herself for presuming to ever consider herself an “outsider,” she missed the point.

Perception is what forms a personal reality, a powerful impetus for action. Unless successful, well-educated women of this country continue to perceive themselves as outsiders--and take action to change it--then what hope is there for what Fleming calls the “real outsiders,” housing project and single mothers? What voice will exist for them?

Fleming should stop whipping herself for her success and the growing success of women in politics. She should worry instead about the day when these same women perceive themselves as insiders.

ALEXIS O. BOESHAAR, Simi Valley