This is a Teen’s Awesome Free Advice for Women

A letter from a 14-year-old survivor about body integrity

My 14-year-old niece sits across from me scribbling in her favorite notepad. I can’t help but smile watching her. This is a kid who loves unicorns and Sweeny Todd in equal measure. She’d somehow pulled herself out of the grip of her abuser, survived attempted suicide, and still had room in her emotional reserves to pen a heated letter “to all the women of the world”.

She swipes her hair out of her eyes, erases, then scribbles again. Usually, her scribbles magically morph into intricate fairies, butterflies, and Celtic symbols. This time, it’s her thoughts that form before my eyes in swift strokes of her well-chewed number two.

She writes and rewrites for about 45 minutes, then rips the page from her notebook.

“Will you share this for me?” she asks

“Sure. Mind if I read it first?” I respond. “I may need time to decipher all this chicken scratch.”

“It’s not my fault you’re a slow reader. Take all the time you need, Pokey.”

“Hey!” I say, but it’s too late. She’s leaping down the hallway, singing a rock song. “Where are you going?”