In Uncertain Times, We Cannot Stay Silent
PUBLISHED in MS. MAGAZINE 4/7/2025 by Jodi Bondi Norgaard
Amid relentless attacks on women’s rights, a powerful movement is rising—through rallies, resistance and collective action that won’t back down.
Staying motivated and positive in these uncertain times is no easy feat. We are witnessing a full-fledged patriarchal meltdown, with women’s rights under threat, jeopardized or outright stripped away. Even more astonishing is the number of women and men who actively support this agenda, parading it as so-called progress for women.
Take, for example, Trump’s recent ban on transgender women competing in women’s sports. According to NCAA president Charlie Baker, this ruling impacts fewer than 10 of the 530,000 student-athletes. Yet, despite the minuscule number, the issue has been inflated into a national crisis, stoking division rather than fostering genuine equity.
At the same time, the Trump administration’s reversal of Biden-era NIL guidance has undermined Title IX protections and worsened financial inequalities for female college athletes. If the goal is to truly protect and elevate women’s sports, the focus should be on the real issues affecting the majority of female athletes, such as sexual harassment and assault, pay and opportunity disparities, unequal playing conditions, gender stereotypes, limited media coverage and the persistent disrespect and objectification they face.
Where is the bigger-picture thinking?
This administration claims to be protecting women—yet top Trump officials, including his son, Donald Trump Jr., actively worked to bring back to the United States self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan, after their two-year detainment in Romania on charges of rape, sex trafficking and money laundering. A blatant contradiction.
Meanwhile, words like “women,” “female,” “gender,” “equality” and “Black” are being discouraged in government documents. “Men,” “male” and “white” remain untouched.
Women’s reproductive rights and healthcare have been severely impacted, with abortion restrictions in seven states and full bans in 12, and some even criminalizing healthcare providers and individuals who perform or assist with abortions. And if that’s not bad enough, on April 1, Planned Parenthood announced it had received notice from the Trump administration that federal family planning funding would be cut, threatening access to birth control, cancer screenings and other essential services for low-income individuals. This isn’t just cruel, it’s dangerous, with devastating consequences.
It’s happening so frequently, it’s hard to keep up. On April 2, “Fertilization President” Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismantled an entire CDC division dedicated to infertility research. Barbara Collura, president of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, expressed grave concerns, stating that the layoffs leave no experts to guide public policy, brief Congress or advance awareness on infertility treatments and causes.
Other eliminated programs that will have a significant impact on women’s health and research include the CDC’s intimate partner violence prevention team and the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, which studied racial and socioeconomic disparities in maternal and infant mortality.
Yes, this is a WTF, headshaking, disbelief-inducing moment in history and it’s certainly not progress for women. But if there’s one thing we cannot afford to do, it’s give up. We can’t stay in our designated lanes, silent and compliant, as they would prefer. This moment reminds me of Billie Jean King’s legendary “Battle of the Sexes”: She wasn’t just playing to win a single match; she was fighting for women’s progress and rewriting the game forever.
We must do the same. We must fight, stay strong and support one another. At a recent women’s conference, an attendee told me, “I’m waiting for someone to help us and tell us what to do.” My response? Don’t wait, because nobody is coming.
Change starts with us. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
And that change is already happening. On April 5, over 1,300 “Hands Off” rallies were organized across all 50 states and internationally. The message was clear: We will not be silent.
Momentum is building. I know a woman photographer who is capturing portraits of 50 remarkable women in her community and displaying them in her studio. Another is building a local network to host speakers and exchange ideas. A third has launched a nationwide weekly call, connecting women across the U.S. to share strength, strategies and support. A young woman I met is determined to dive into politics to help advance gender equality. And a man I know is channeling his energy into reshaping the masculine narrative.
Each of these individuals is using their unique talents and resources to inspire awareness and action.
I have been fighting for gender equality for over two decades, and my focus remains on where gender inequality begins—in childhood. Ask yourself: Where will you start? Because this is how we win—not by waiting, but by acting. By refusing to be silenced. By lifting each other up.
The fight is far from over. But together, we are unstoppable.
Inspiring piece, Jodi! No doubt...together (men too!), we are unstoppable.