Women’s News: The bishop who confronted Trump

Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde went viral for confronting Donald Trump during her post-Inauguration sermon. Looking directly at the new president, she implored him to “have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now,” in reference to LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities.

• The sermon sparked polarized reactions ranging from praise to death threats. Progressive voices applauded Budde’s boldness and courage, while Trump supporters called her confrontational and disrespectful. The president himself responded on Truth Social by calling her a “Radical left hard-line Trump hater” and criticizing the service as “boring and uninspiring.”

• As the first woman to lead the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, Budde is no stranger to controversy. In 2020, she criticized Trump for ordering the forceful removal of racial justice protestors from Lafayette Park and St. John’s Church courtyard, only to later pose there holding a Bible for a photo.

• Despite the backlash, Budde has no plans to apologize and vowed to continue praying for Trump. Above all, she said, “We should keep our eyes on the people who are really vulnerable in our society.”

👉️ In a “major development for women’s right to control their bodies,” the European Court of Human Rights ruled that sex is not a part of women’s marital duties. -

• The case was brought by a French woman who was previously held at fault in her divorce because she stopped having sex with her husband—a decision that the human rights court overturned.

• The ruling comes on the heels of the Gisèle Pelicot case, which sparked a reckoning in France over women’s rights.

👉️ Four Israeli women were released from Hamas captivity as part of the ceasefire agreement. They had been operating as "spotters"– monitoring for security threats near the Gaza border – when the October 2023 raid took place.

👉️ The Supreme Court revived the appeal of an Oklahoma woman on death row, who claims prosecutors unfairly influenced her conviction for the killing of her husband by sex-shaming her during her trial.

👉️ Nancy Leftenant-Colon, the first Black woman to serve in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, died this week at the age of 104.

👉️ New research challenges the “glass cliff” theory, which suggests women are more likely to be appointed to leadership roles during crises. Analyzing CEO appointments at public companies, the study found the likelihood of a woman being appointed to the top role actually increases as a company’s financial stability improves.

👉️ Instagram and Facebook recently blocked posts and accounts associated with abortion pill providers, even amid its controversial decision to loosen content moderation policies.

👉️ Millionaire heiress Marlene Engelhorn joined protesters at the World Economic Forum in Davos to advocate for higher taxes on the super-rich.

👉️ Donald Trump’s first week back in the Oval Office was full of sweeping moves with big implications for women:

• DEI: He signed an executive order ending federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, joining private corporations like Target in a sweeping reversal of such initiatives. Here’s how reversing DEI policies impacts gender equality.

  • In response, the Air Force removed training courses that included videos of the Tuskegee Airmen and women WWII pilots. 

• Reproductive rights: He pardoned anti-abortion activists who were convicted of blockading clinic entrances, reversed two Biden executive orders that strengthened federal abortion protections, and reinstated a policy that blocks federal funding for international organizations involved in performing or advocating for abortions.

  • The cherry on top: Reproductiverights.gov, a government website with resources on abortion and other reproductive services, was taken down. 

• Remote work: Another executive order banned remote work for federal employees, 45% of whom are women. Here’s how return-to-office mandates can hurt women and other underrepresented working groups.

• Plus: The effort to end birthright citizenship has left undocumented women asking, “Will my unborn child be a citizen?”

👉️ A former relative of Pete Hegseth submitted an affidavit to the Senate accusing him of abusive behavior toward his second wife, Samantha Hegseth. 

• While Samantha has denied any physical abuse, (emphasis on “physical” added by The Rise), her statements may be constrained by a non-disparagement clause in their divorce agreement.

• Still, Hegseth was sworn in as Secretary of Defense after winning the Senate’s confirmation vote by a narrow margin. 

👉️ Once again harnessing the power of her pen, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote Elon Musk a letter proposing 30 ways he might reduce government spending as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

👉️ According to a new NASA study, tiredness has a gender gap. The research showed that, despite women reporting greater levels of fatigue, women’s tiredness is more likely to be underestimated while men’s is more frequently overestimated. The takeaway: next time a woman says she’s tired, believe her.

👉️ New research found that “mom brain” has real neurological underpinnings. Pregnancy-related memory loss, disorientation, and brain fog result from a critical reshaping of the brain that prepares women for motherhood.

👉️ Bloomberg is taking the CDC to task for refusing to disclose information about negative outcomes at hospitals and clinics providing fertility treatments.

👉️ After 46 Grand Slam appearances, U.S. tennis player Madison Keys won her first championship at the Australian Open, defeating two-time champion Aryna Sabalenka in the final last weekend. Keys is the oldest woman to win a first-time Grand Slam in ten years.

👉️ In a major WNBA trade, superstar Jewell Loyd is leaving the Seattle Storm for the Las Vegas Aces, and Kelsey Plum is heading to the Los Angeles Sparks. The three-team deal is the first in league history to involve multiple No. 1 overall picks. 

👉️ Snowboarder Chloe Kim scored her eighth win at the X Games snowboard halfpipe title, setting the record for the most in history. She also became the first woman to perform a “double cork” trick in the event.

👉️ Oscar nominations brought milestones for women: Karla Sofía Gascón became the first openly transgender actor to be nominated, earning a Best Actress nod for Emilia Pérez, and 62-year-old Demi Moore received her first nomination for her role in The Substance.

👉️ Selena Gomez posted and then deleted an emotional Instagram video expressing empathy for immigrants at risk of deportation, seemingly removing the story after conservative backlash.

👉️ Jennifer Lopez fought back tears as her new film, a musical drama adaptation of Kiss of the Spider Woman, received a standing ovation at the Sundance Film Festival.

👉️ Lady Gaga announced a new album, “Mayhem,” dropping on March 7. She described the latest effort as a homecoming to her pop roots.

The (Woman) Playlist Power Broker Who Makes or Breaks New Artists on Spotify

The Digger Girl Taught This Boomer Why TikTok Needs to Stay

You Know Emerson and Thoreau. Why Not Their Female Counterparts? 

Trump’s Careful Abortion Calculus

The Deeper Meaning Behind Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Collar at the 2025 Inauguration