Photo By Ten C

Girls on Girls

Get a group of girlfriends together, and we'll be as non-PC and raunchy as any group of men. While this is common knowledge among the estrogen set, it occurred to us that some of the things we talk about might be of interest to the uninitiated.

Discussing the tons of possible topics we could address here, a few stood out and are included in the following pages: being single in a married world, stereotypes, health care, sex, money and the closeness of female friendships. Kicking around these ideas, a well-educated and thoughtful man who shall remain nameless asked us, "Are there still stereotypes about women?" After our laughter subsided, it was clear some education was in order.

"Girls on Girls," CityBeat's 11th annual Women's Issue, is a look at what matters to women and keeps us talking for hours. Sexuality, everyday life and careers are the topics of our most raucous conversations, and thus we've organized these stories under those three major sections.

In addition to the familiar voices of former staffers Stephanie Dunlap and Jessica Canterbury, the perspectives of new-ish editorial staffers Hannah Roberts and Julie Mullins are joined by some writers new to CityBeat:

· Mary Pierce Brosmer, poet, grandmother and founder of Women Writing for (a) Change

· Pat Morris, a writer and journalist based in North Carolina

· S.A. Strickley, a graduate of the Iowa Writer's Conference and short story writer

Thanks to courageous women in the Tristate and beyond, we've been able to recreate a sliver of the gab sessions that go on over drinks or dinner. The most startling revelation is that many women preferred to remain anonymous -- we'll dish when it's safe but won't run the risk of hurting someone else or having our words used against us, personally or professionally.

The more things change...

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For more information about myths that never seem to change visit www.citybeat.com.