I wasn’t clear. Installing a custom ROM wasn’t my starting point. Deleting Facebook was. But when I was ready to try alternative operating systems for mobile, after tinkering with the same on laptops, going straight to GrapheneOS would have been a barrier to my exploration. I needed something like /e/OS because it was cheap to try, low risk, whereas Pixels are expensive devices, even the older models.
The first time you flash a custom ROM you basically feel like you’re about to most likely break your phone. I felt confident flashing GrapheneOS after having gone through the process with something like /e/OS several times on old devices for my kids.