I have been thinking about how to reply to you all evening.

I recognize in myself (as I drafted and re-drafted replies to you in my mind) the need to justify and explain myself to you. And then I realized that I'm tired of justifying myself to anyone and everyone about my decisions about how I make way in the world as a free and independent woman while trying to raise a family. Particularly to those who I expect to be my allies. And when I shared my unpleasant experience with the feminist community, the comments in reply made it clear to me that I'm not the only one.

I still consider myself a feminist to the core. I realized that some of the comments I got on feminist were actually sympathetic and supportive. I don't wish or intend to do anything to give comfort to the enemies of feminism. But for the rest--lord, I'm so tired of trying to explain myself, so I'll stop now. We'll see how this community works.