1. United States
2. N.J.
3. Letter

We are Americans. When my husband goes to a bar, he doesn’t have to cover his drink. I do. If my husband is assaulted, the surveillance footage is pulled, the culprit is located and charged. I am asked what I was wearing and how much I had to drink. If my husband says he has broken his rib, he is x-rayed and treated without question. I am forced to piss on a stick and answer questions about my last period, my weight, and my water consumption before they tell me I’m just bruised and I’ll be better soon. If my husband wears an 8647 shirt, he is perhaps laughed at. I am assaulted. If my husband worships in his church (Episcopalian), he has freedom to do so. My religion is not even on the new list of recognized faiths. If my husband wants a vasectomy, he goes and gets snipped. I need his signature to have my tubes tied. If my husband kills me, he will statistically serve 10 years. I will statistically serve 25-life. If the “victim” is a fetus, there are states where I could receive the death penalty. My husband can beat me and not even get slapped with a restraining order. If I miscarry as a result, I can be imprisoned. This country is not equal. It is not fair. It is not supportive. It is not safe. It is not the America I grew up in. It is not up for debate. But some of it *is* up for reelection, and I hope you remember that going forward, because one thing both my husband and I CAN do- is vote you out.