We must be #UnitedAgainstRape.
On Monday at the @unitednations, I joined with leaders from around the world to speak up for the women and girls who were brutally silenced by Hamas. We heard heartbreaking testimonies from first responders and watched videos from witnesses themselves. The stories they shared and the trauma they witnessed will weigh on my soul for the rest of my life. The evidence is irrefutable: Hamas used rape as a tool of war.
We have come so far in believing survivors of sexual assault in so many situations. If we fail to speak out against rape anytime and anywhere it occurs, we threaten to undermine hard-fought progress.
This is not political. At a time when the world is more divided than ever — and conflict and aggression are claiming innocent lives every day — we should all be able to agree that rape has no place in peace and in conflict. @AllHumansEverywhere
For over a decade, I’ve been urging women to lean in. Now I’m calling on everyone to speak out. Rape should never be used as an act of war. This truth must be upheld despite the politics of our time.
The ground gained on protecting women against sexual violence was hard-fought. Until recently, wartime rape was tolerated. A breakthrough came just thirty years ago when the armed conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and the DRC saw the deliberate use of mass sexual violence. Global women’s organizations and human rights activists fought for change, helping to establish that rape cannot be seen as a lesser crime. Silence on the rapes Hamas committed — or any rapes — is so dangerous because threatens to undo an entire movement.
No matter what any of us believe should happen in the Middle East — no matter which marches you attend or which flag you’re flying — there are no circumstances that rationalize the atrocities Hamas carried out. It’s time to re-find and reclaim our unified voice in opposing rape. Here are my full remarks from the special session at the @unitednations.
Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin joined us at the Congressional screening of @screamsbeforesilence. They are two of the strongest people I’ve ever met. On October 7th, their son Hersh was one of the 240 people taken hostage by Hamas. Hersh’s arm was blown off in the attack, and he is still being held captive today. For the last 230 days, Rachel and Jon have been working tirelessly to bring Hersh and all of the remaining hostages — which include Americans and citizens from 24 countries — home.
As a mother, my heart breaks for them and the families of all of the hostages. The depth of their pain is unimaginable. Their profound strength, empathy, and willingness to share their anguish with the world is remarkable. They are true heroes.
We must do all that we can to #BringThemHome. @bring.hersh.home
On the final night of Hanukkah, I’m lighting the last candle for the women and girls who were brutally raped and murdered by Hamas on October 7.
My heart breaks for them and for what they experienced in the very last moments of their lives.
We must stand #UnitedAgainstRape in every country, be it in times of war or peace.
Please listen to every word of this heart wrenching testimony by Simcha Greiniman, a volunteer with Israel’s community emergency response team. During the @unitednations special session, Simcha described the brutal sexual violence he saw as he helped collect the bodies of hundreds of women murdered during Hamas’ attack on October 7.
He shared, “I’m standing in front of you to make sure that you hear the voices of those women that cannot stand next to us now, and be here to scream out what happened to them.”
Tonight, Tom, our children, and I lit our menorah for the first night of Hanukkah. As we said the blessing, I was overwhelmed by a deep sense of connection to Jewish people around the world — our collective strength, shared anguish, and unwavering resilience.
For over 2,000 years, Jews have celebrated the Festival of Lights to remember the powerful story of the Maccabees. When the Maccabees sought to rededicate the destroyed Temple, they found a flask with only enough oil to light one candle for one night. And yet, miraculously, it lasted for eight full nights.
Hanukkah is about the triumph of light. It reminds us that even in the hardest times, we have one another and there is always hope. Amid a difficult year marked by immense violence and hate, this feels more important than ever.
May all of us, from all backgrounds and faiths, find light in our lives — and may our prayers for peace be answered.
Thank you @unwomen for speaking out and calling for a rigorous investigation into the crimes committed against women on Oct. 7.
In the face of terror, we cannot be quiet. Thank you, Senator @kirstengillibrand for calling on the world to speak out against rape and demand accountability for the intolerable crimes Hamas committed on October 7th.
As she said so powerfully, “Where is the solidarity for women in this country and in this world to stand up for our mothers, our sisters, and our daughters?”
We must unite as a global community around an undeniable truth that goes beyond politics: Rape is trauma. Rape is terror. Rape is torture. And rape must never be tolerated wherever and whenever it happens.
@vanjones68 gets it exactly right: “I have no problem with people protesting policy. You cannot protest a people. That is not a protest. That’s a pogrom, and that has to stop.” I’m horrified by antisemitic attacks on Jews outside a synagogue in LA, and the increased incidents of hate crimes across the US. And I’m grateful to leaders like Van, who are speaking up during this difficult moment. We cannot tolerate Anti-Muslim hate, Antisemitism, or hate of any kind.
Awesome to be back together with great friends and people who loved my late husband Dave so much. We laughed about good times and cried because we all miss Dave’s wisdom and his sense of humor. He would have loved this podcast — and he would have made fun of Chamath endlessly as @thefakechamath on X. Yep, it was Dave the whole time.
We also came together to talk about @screamsbeforesilence and the sexual violence that occurred in Israel on October 7th. We spoke about the undeniable evidence of Hamas’ crimes against women, the alarming rise in antisemitism, and how we can ensure the voices of victims and survivors are heard.
Thank you Chamath, @jason, and David for having me on the pod. I hope everyone listens.
Awesome to be back together with great friends and people who loved my late husband Dave so much. We laughed about good times and cried because we all miss Dave’s wisdom and his sense of humor. He would have loved this podcast — and he would have made fun of Chamath endlessly as @thefakechamath on X. Yep, it was Dave the whole time.
We also came together to talk about @screamsbeforesilence and the sexual violence that occurred in Israel on October 7th. We spoke about the undeniable evidence of Hamas’ crimes against women, the alarming rise in antisemitism, and how we can ensure the voices of victims and survivors are heard.
Thank you Chamath, @jason, and David for having me on the pod. I hope everyone listens.
Hamas terrorists used rape as a tool of war on October 7, and they must be held accountable.
I’m so pleased to see this group of bipartisan Senators united in calling on the @unitednations to acknowledge, denounce, and investigate Hamas’ atrocious crimes against women and girls.
This letter is not about taking sides in the horrific conflict or weighing into politics. It’s a moral issue — we all must stand against sexual violence and rape anytime and anywhere it occurs.
I’m horrified by this antisemitic attack reported in France. The rise of incidents of hate crimes against Muslim and Jewish people in the US and Europe is beyond repugnant. We cannot tolerate Islamophobia, Antisemitism, or any kind of hate.
Rape is never acceptable. Never. And this attack shows how dangerous it is for the world not to stand together against the sexual violence on Oct 7 in Israel.
We must come together and embrace our common humanity and reject hate, terrorism, and sexual violence in all its forms.
#UnitedAgainstRape
Ten years ago when I was writing @optionb, I looked for people who have shown true resilience. That’s when I met Kayvon Asemani (@kayvonmusic) who lost both his parents when his father murdered his mother when he was just 9 years old.
Kayvon went from being a story in my book to a member of my family and someone I learn from every day.
Years later, Kayvon took to the stage to express himself with his music. Last night, he played in San Francisco as part of his first-ever world tour.
Kayvon, I love you and I’m so proud.
Ten years ago when I was writing @optionb, I looked for people who have shown true resilience. That’s when I met Kayvon Asemani (@kayvonmusic) who lost both his parents when his father murdered his mother when he was just 9 years old.
Kayvon went from being a story in my book to a member of my family and someone I learn from every day.
Years later, Kayvon took to the stage to express himself with his music. Last night, he played in San Francisco as part of his first-ever world tour.
Kayvon, I love you and I’m so proud.
Ten years ago when I was writing @optionb, I looked for people who have shown true resilience. That’s when I met Kayvon Asemani (@kayvonmusic) who lost both his parents when his father murdered his mother when he was just 9 years old.
Kayvon went from being a story in my book to a member of my family and someone I learn from every day.
Years later, Kayvon took to the stage to express himself with his music. Last night, he played in San Francisco as part of his first-ever world tour.
Kayvon, I love you and I’m so proud.
Earlier this month, I joined Rabbi @lizpghirsch, @yolandasavagenarva, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, and the @reformjudaism community for a meaningful discussion about @screamsbeforesilence. We examined the history of conflict-related sexual violence as a weapon of war, the importance of bearing witness to the atrocities happening around the world, and why we must condemn sexual violence anywhere it occurs. Rabbi Rick ended our time with God’s commandment to Abraham in the book of Genesis, “Shema be-kolah,” which means “Listen to her.” It is on all of us to listen to the women whose screams were silenced on October 7th. We stand to lose too much.
Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating. For anyone whose day looks and feels a little less merry, I hope you know you’re not alone. The holidays can be difficult, especially at a time when many people are feeling fear and sadness amidst war and hate.
To help all of us show up better for one another, @optionb is sharing resources to help you care for yourself and support others through our annual #OptionBThere holiday campaign. At optionb.org/holidays, you can find practical advice on how to support the people you love — like ideas for what to say instead of “how are you,” small gestures that prove you care, and ways to take holiday planning off their plate. And if today is hard for you personally, you’ll find advice, stories, and support from our community to help days like today land more gently.
After a tough year for many, may we find comfort and strength in each other.
Loved spending time with our incredible @leaninorg leaders from all over the world last week! Thanks to their passion and commitment, our community is larger than ever: more than 86,000 women have started Circles in 183 countries. And 13,000 women started Circles in 2023 alone.
It’s always so inspiring to hear about the impact our Network Leaders have accomplished — from driving transparent salary initiatives in Spain to providing grants to help women in Lagos start their own businesses.
One story we heard came from Tara Uzra Dawood (@tudawood), a Network Leader with @leaninpakistan. This summer, they brought @leaningirls to their community to help Pakistani girls lead boldly and on their own terms. More than 50 teen girls from different schools came together for the “Self Esteem in a Barbie World” event where they connected with each other, had real talk about embracing imperfections, and celebrated their unique superpowers.
I’m deeply grateful for the ways Lean In Pakistan and all our Network leaders are creating safe spaces where women and girls can find the support they need to dream big and achieve their ambitions.
Everyone should be able to be themselves at work. But @leaninorg’s research makes clear this is far from the reality for so many in the LGBTQ community. Our Women In the Workplace research shows that LGBTQ people are more likely than other employees to face disrespectful and “othering” behavior — such as being criticized for how they look or act. As a result, LGBTQ people are 2.25 times more likely than women overall to feel pressure to change their appearance to be perceived as more professional. This #PrideMonth, @leaninorg is sharing research-backed ways to show up as an ally to LGBTQ coworkers. From calling out microaggressions to holding space for LGBTQ employees, it’s on all of us to change our workplaces so every person feels valued and supported.
Wishing everyone a wonderful 4th of July! As we celebrate, I’m thinking about all those who dedicate their lives to protecting our freedom and independence. Recently in DC, I had the privilege of meeting with leaders of the Department of Air Force (DAF) Women’s Officers Forum (WOF) — a @leaninorg Network for Air Force active duty, reserve, and guard women officers. With more than 12,000 members, the Lean In WOF is a space to connect, share advice, and drive lasting change. They proudly call each other “sisters in arms.” It was so inspiring to hear how they are building a more equitable Air Force through initiatives like improving family leave, conducting policy feedback surveys, expanding access to reproductive health care, and more. One story that stood out came from Lieutenant Colonel Elizabeth Blakeman (@eblakeman). She explained how military mission gear was originally designed to fit men, which left women’s vital organs exposed. This not only made women less safe, but it was also more challenging for them to accomplish their missions — whether flying an aircraft or fighting on the ground. The Lean In WOF set out to change this. Over the last five years, they worked in partnership with other groups to source and update uniform requirements. They secured advocates and funding for research and development for new gear. Now, women have access to new equipment that allows them to serve at their fullest potential. I’m in awe of how the women in this Lean In Network show up for each other and our country. They are warriors in more ways than one. As we honor our great nation today, I thank them and everyone who has served.
“I eat that stuff for breakfast!” That’s what one of our new @leaninorg leaders, Camille Taylor, told me about Lean In’s data on women at work when I met with her and some of our phenomenal leaders in DC. These women are running companies, leading teams, giving back to their communities, piloting fighter jets, and leading the local Lean In community. In 2020 @jessica_ruttenber, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the @usairforce learned that the military didn’t recognize pregnancy as a protected class, which made it legal to penalize servicemembers for having children. She set out to change this — with the support and encouragement of her Lean In Network: Department of Air Force (DAF) Women’s Officers Forum. She worked with Secretary @debhaalandnm’s Congressional office to pass the Equality for Military Mothers Amendment to prohibit pregnancy discrimination across all branches of the military. Natalie Thomas, a Network Leader with @lean_in_dc, talked about launching her Lean In “MarketHer” Circle (@themarkethergroup) after reading our #WomenInTheWorkplace report. Natalie wanted to create a space where Black women marketers could find connection with others in the industry. She said, “I’ve often been the only woman and the only Black person in the room. I was craving increased connection with other marketers and creatives during the pandemic”. Another leader, Baljmaa Zorig (@baljma) shared how her Lean In Circle “Investment Club for DC Women” is working to close the gender investing gap. A professional finance officer, Baljmaa launched the Circle after realizing how little her women friends talked about their finances — especially compared to men. She wanted to create a space where women could pitch stock recommendations, ask personal finance questions, and share negotiation strategies. Each of these women’s stories is unique, but share a common thread: when women support each other, they can do anything. I saw this firsthand in DC — and hear it in the stories from our Lean In Circles across 183 countries. My deepest thanks to all of our remarkable leaders for the big and small ways they’re building a more equal world. As always, these women inspire me.
Two years ago, the Supreme Court struck down #RoeVWade. The Dobbs decision stripped women of the fundamental right to control their health and their futures. It made women in America less free today than half a century ago. Since then, nearly two dozen states have banned or limited access to safe and legal abortion services. In 10 states, abortion is banned with no exceptions for rape or incest. In our Post-Roe America, what was once unconscionable is now commonplace. In Oklahoma, a woman was told to wait in the hospital parking lot until she was “crashing,” before doctors would provide care. In Ohio, a 10-year-old girl was forced to cross state lines to access care after she was raped. In Arizona, a woman was forced to carry an unviable pregnancy to term. In Texas, a woman miscarried in the lobby restroom of an emergency room as front desk staff refused to check her in. No woman should be forced to go through this trauma. The fight for abortion rights doesn’t end with the Dobbs decision. Now, more than ever, we must redouble our efforts to defend and expand access to care. That means voting for reproductive choice in November.
Congratulations to my dear friend and @leaninorg Circle member @ariannahuff on the launch of Thrive AI Health! She’s teaming up with Sam Altman (@sama) to use AI to democratize access to expert-level health coaching through a new personalized mobile app. With a staggering 129 million Americans struggling with at least one major chronic disease, it’s inspiring to see Arianna and Sam harness the power of AI to transform health care and bring hope to so many who are suffering.
