A fresh start, a new name.

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

It’s no secret that I’m an independent-minded woman.

Or that I’m a feminist.

Or that I’ve been through a lot of changes in the last few years.

Or that I spent the last seventeen months rebuilding my life from a nearly fatal motorcycle crash.

I’m not one to resist change but there are also times you have to facilitate it. There are times you simply have to give yourself a fresh start, even symbolic ones that remind you it’s never too late to start over or reinvent yourself.

Today I achieved something I’ve wanted for a very long time — I legally changed my name.

It’s rebirth of sorts. I’ve created my own distinct identity. In a world in which women are still defined by their marital status, taking our fathers’ and husbands’ names remains the norm, and the pressure to validate our lives through marriage remains intense, I’m finally giving the patriarchal system the boot.

You may want to update your address book because from here on out, there’s a new Val in town…

Val Weston.