This part has hit me (and a lot of women) really, really hard. I think most men just don't quite get how visceral it feels to have it made clear to you by your government how little your personhood actually matters. There's also been a lot of "pruning" going on in my life lately as well - that's what I tell myself when people I've long loved have made it clear they have no more use for me - I tell myself that it's pruning the dead wood to make way for people who are a better fit for who I am now, but it's rough, especially when it's happened 3 times in the past month. I wonder if it's something in the zeitgeist for middle-aged women in particular because I see a lot of tumultuous dismemberment and reinvention going on?

Anyhow, so, all this to stay that I sympathize and resonate, and heartily applaud you becoming a bitch who knows her own worth and stands up for it! Happy Belated Birthday! 🎈