Articulated Insight – “News, Race and Culture in the Information Age”
There’s a dangerous trend emerging from the White House. Under the guise of fighting “woke” policies, the president has launched an attack on the very systems designed to protect the most vulnerable among us—this time, by targeting the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
At first glance, this might seem like just another chapter in the ongoing assault on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. But it’s far more consequential. Undermining the DEI provisions within VAWA is not just about political posturing—it’s about dismantling protections for millions of women who rely on this law to escape abuse, seek justice, and survive.
The logic behind the attack is simple and flawed: if equity efforts benefit marginalized groups, they must somehow be unfair. But that argument ignores what’s at stake for women in America—especially those whose experiences with violence are shaped by race, disability, gender identity, immigration status, or economic insecurity.
First enacted in 1994, VAWA was a groundbreaking piece of legislation. It recognized domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking as not only criminal acts but also public health and civil rights issues. Over the years, the law evolved to become more inclusive—thanks to data and advocacy that made one thing clear: one-size-fits-all responses leave too many behind.
The 2022 reauthorization of VAWA expanded protections for Indigenous women by restoring tribal authority to prosecute non-Native offenders. It funded culturally specific services for immigrant and LGBTQ+ survivors. It strengthened responses for people with disabilities. These changes didn’t happen by accident—they were the result of a DEI framework rooted in real-world disparities.
That framework is now under attack.
When the president frames DEI as a threat rather than a solution, he erodes the foundation of laws like VAWA. If his rhetoric translates into rescinded funding, weakened enforcement, or gutted provisions, it won’t be politicians who pay the price. It will be survivors.
Critics of DEI often argue that equity measures create “special treatment.” But DEI isn’t about giving some people more—it’s about removing the barriers that keep many people from accessing the same safety, services, and justice others already have.
For example, Native American women experience some of the highest rates of sexual violence in the country. For decades, tribal courts had no authority to prosecute non-Native perpetrators of that violence. VAWA helped change that. To roll back those protections is to knowingly restore a gap that predators have exploited for years.
Similarly, immigrant survivors of domestic violence often face unique challenges—language barriers, fear of deportation, economic dependence—that require tailored legal and social support. That’s not favoritism. That’s realism. And DEI is how we address it.
The same is true for Black women, who face disproportionately high rates of intimate partner violence and systemic bias when navigating law enforcement or healthcare systems. The equity lens in VAWA is not symbolic—it’s strategic.
The president’s broadside against DEI has already reshaped education, government hiring, and public health. But this latest move—to entangle VAWA in the culture wars—marks a dangerous escalation.
If gender-based violence prevention becomes politically expendable, what comes next? Will protections for pregnant workers be rolled back? Will Title IX lose its teeth? Will women’s safety be reduced to a partisan talking point?
Women across this country—especially in marginalized communities—know that fairness isn’t guaranteed. It has to be fought for. Laws like VAWA represent hard-earned progress. Undermining them to score political points isn’t just reckless. It’s cruel.
This moment is about more than a single policy. It’s about the future of fairness in America. Will we allow equity to be reframed as extremism? Will we allow those in power to decide that some women are more deserving of safety than others?
DEI isn’t about identity politics. It’s about making sure the law reaches the people who need it most. It’s about understanding that the same systems don’t serve everyone equally—and fixing them so they do.
As a physician and public health leader, I’ve seen what happens when survivors don’t have access to safety, services, or support. I’ve seen the trauma that lingers for generations when society tells women—especially women of color—that their pain is not a priority.
We cannot let political theater undo decades of progress. And we cannot allow inclusion to be treated as a liability.
The Violence Against Women Act was built to protect women—all women. That mission doesn’t change because it’s politically inconvenient. It’s time we say, clearly and collectively: inclusion is not the problem. It’s the path forward.
Everyone on American soil must protect DEI not because it’s fashionable, but because it’s fair. And fairness, like safety, should never be up for debate.
#WomensSafety #PresidentialPolicies #RightsMatter
