But the issue of sexual harassment is not the end of it. There are other issues - political issues, gender issues - that people need to be educated about.

If you think about the way the hearings were structured, the hearings were really about Thomas' race and my gender.

What we really need to be understanding is that all of these things matter and they all stem from the fact that certain people live with power and authority and they want to maintain it.

I was aware, however, that telling at any point in my career could adversely affect my future career.

My dad and one brother are working the farm. They laughed when I said I wanted to act. We work very hard, but for my family, it's just another experience in life, y'know?

If we focus on the minuses, we go down the spiral. But if we are able to focus on the pluses, we can become stronger and put more meaning into our life.

I was drawn to astronomy by a teenage existential quest. Around 13, I was deep into wondering about the meaning of life and what I was doing here. I turned to religion, but that did nothing for me. I got to wondering where was here. So, I began studying astronomy and became enthralled by what I learned.

I think at this stage in my life I have learned that there are any number of things that men will never know, and can never hope to know, about women.