nightmare

I had an incredibly difficult time falling asleep last night. Seeing as I exercised two days in a row for the first time in three weeks (due to my ridiculous cold) and that my arms were still sore from climbin on Saturday, I thought that this would be a non-issue, as I assumed I would be exhausted. But alas, no.

What was I thinking about that kept me up late at night?

Virginia.

Yes, that's right. The state of Virginia kept me up last night. I wish it were that these thoughts of Virginia were a result of me having recently visited Colonial Williamsburg, remembering a really beautiful hike, or visiting Christina in Reston, but no, that was not the case.

What kept me up at night was the news I had read recently about the "transvaginal ultrasounds" that the Virginia legislature just passed as being required of any woman that is considering getting an abortion. Oh, that, and the fact that Virginia was also going to allow its policemen and policewomen to serve as immigration agents and check for immigration status when stopping anyone for anything. Oh, and that dumb personhood law that they passed, too.

The idea of being forced to subject myself to a transvaginal ultrasound after having battled with myself to make a painfully difficult, mature, very private decision about my body and my life makes me feel physically ill.

The idea that someone can be pulled over a speeding ticket and then subject to an immigration status check, and even deported, just because of the color of their skin, their appearance, or some stereotype makes me want to cry.

The state of Virginia, hell, the state of the United States of America is that it/they is/are ridiculous.