Oh Lady Catherine (“Bitch Hunt,” 10/25), may I have a word with you?

Let me first say that I will be wearing my “Bitch by Birth” button with pride. It’s been away for a while, but after reading your article, it’s coming out again. It was given to me by a friend who’s no longer with us, but he knew me well.

I don’t know how long you’ve lived in this town, honey, but you’ve got a lot to learn about women and dating. Perhaps “living with your boyfriend” has shielded you from some of the crap that a lot of us bitches in this town go through. I have been to 90 percent of the places you mentioned in your article and a whole lot of other bars, as well as some of the fancy restaurants, and many a private party in this town. Did you ever think that women don’t go out to bars and restaurants just to meet men? Lots of women go out just to drink, eat, talk, dance, relax, or perhaps just because they want to get out of the house and be in a crowd.

And I can tell you that on many occasions I have talked to men, given them my number, been told by them, “I’ll call you,” and never heard from them again. I’ve even seen them again with other women, and they’ve ignored me. I’ve also had men talk to me and other women who were at the same place at the same time. And on some occasions I’ve found out later that he had a girlfriend or a wife who was there with him.

Oh, and I can’t count the times I’ve been out, tried to strike up a conversation with a man, and been completely ignored or passed over for “the one with the long hair.” I’m an avid all-around sports fan and have tried to talk to men on that subject and been ignored or looked at as if I’m a space alien. I guess us bitches aren’t supposed to talk on that level.

Too often men approach women the wrong way. If they’d learn to look at and speak to us like we are human beings and not naked in their beds we’d respond in a better way. It should not matter what a woman is wearing. We don’t always dress just to attract men.

I can’t speak for all women, but when I do talk to a man I’d like to feel that it’s not his God-given right to lie to me in the first few sentences that come out of his mouth.

I’m sure that most women in this town are smart enough to know that they are not going to meet Mr. Wonderful, have him

fall in love with her, and live

happily ever after. But it would be nice to meet someone who’s honest and does not assume that you are going to sleep with him just because he bought you a $1.50 margarita.

A Native D.C. Bitch and Proud of It