Protecting Women—or Redefining the Narrative?

An Interview with Rev. Paula Josephine Sadler

Interviewer: So let me get this straight—you’re saying there’s a contradiction in how “protecting women” is being defined right now?

Rev. Paula Josephine Sadler: Yes, exactly. Let me say it clearly.

The Donald Trump administration says it wants to protect women—keep men out of women’s sports and out of women’s bathrooms, meaning transgender women. Yet at the same time, they don’t support women helping women in business and the workplace, or having women-centered events, or working toward equal pay, equal representation, and fairness in the workplace.

Truly, this idea of “Make America Great Again” and “traditional family values” begins to feel like a return to a time before civil rights, before women’s rights—before 1964—when it was discouraged for women to work or pursue higher education, and instead expected that they stay home, have children, and raise a family.

That is what “Make America Great Again” can sound like to many—a return, not forward progress. And even more concerning, the imposition of a politicized version of Christianity tied to white nationalism, alongside the manufacturing of fear—what some describe as white panic and male panic—as a tool to control the populace.

So we must ask: What does “protecting women” really mean?

Interviewer: You’re pointing to something bigger than just sports or bathrooms, right?

Rev. Paula: Absolutely. This is much bigger.

This conversation is not just about sports or bathrooms—it’s about a broader pattern of policy and cultural messaging. When initiatives that support women—like mentorship programs, networking groups, or women-centered business events—are challenged or even targeted, we have to step back and ask what’s really happening.

A recent article titled New Girls’ Clubs Took on the Old Boys. Now Trump Wants to Ban Them highlights this exact issue—how women have created their own professional networks to counter historically male-dominated spaces, and how some of these efforts are now being questioned or restricted.

That really struck me, because it reflects the deeper tension we’re talking about.

Historically, women didn’t just create these spaces for fun—they created them out of necessity. For decades, they were excluded from leadership roles, business networks, and decision-making spaces. The “old boys’ clubs” were real, and they were powerful.

So women built their own networks. Their own support systems. Their own pathways forward.

Now, when those same spaces are questioned or restricted, it raises a serious concern:👉 Are we protecting women—or dismantling the very tools they used to rise?

Interviewer: You mentioned “traditional family values.” What does that mean in this context?

Rev. Paula: That phrase gets used a lot, but we have to look at the history behind it.

Before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other key protections, women faced real and systemic limitations:

• Limited access to education

• Fewer career opportunities

• Financial dependence

• Social pressure to stay in domestic roles

For some, that time is remembered as stable or ideal. But for many women, it was restrictive.

So when we hear “return to traditional values,” we have to ask:👉 Whose tradition are we talking about—and who benefits from that return?

Interviewer: You also spoke about fear being used as a tool. That’s a strong statement—can you expand on that?

Rev. Paula: Yes, and I say that with intention.

When political narratives consistently focus on threats—whether it’s cultural change, gender identity, or shifting social norms—it creates a sense of urgency and fear. That fear can unify people, but it can also divide them.

Some describe this as “manufactured panic”—fear around losing identity, status, or control. Whether people agree with that terminology or not, we can see how powerful fear-based messaging is.

It shifts attention away from real issues—like economic inequality, healthcare access, and workplace fairness—and redirects it toward emotional reactions.

And historically, fear has often been used as a tool to influence and control populations.

Interviewer: You’re also a spiritual leader. How does faith play into your perspective on this?

Rev. Paula: For me, faith should always expand love, not restrict it.

When religion becomes intertwined with political power in ways that:

• Elevate one group over another

• Define who belongs and who doesn’t

• Justify limiting rights

…it moves away from spirituality and into control.

Faith, at its highest level, is about compassion, truth, and connection. It should uplift people—not divide them.

Interviewer: So what’s really at stake for women right now?

Rev. Paula: A lot.

Women are still working toward:

• Equal pay

• Equal representation

• Equal opportunity

These are ongoing efforts—not completed ones.

And when we start to see resistance to programs or spaces that support women’s advancement—especially in business and leadership—it raises real concerns about whether progress is being slowed or even reversed.

Because these systems weren’t handed to women—they were built through struggle, advocacy, and persistence.

Interviewer: If you could leave readers with one final thought, what would it be?

Rev. Paula: Look beyond the words—and pay attention to the actions.

“Protecting women” should mean:

• Supporting their growth

• Ensuring their safety

• Expanding their opportunities

And that must include all women.

Because when protection becomes selective, it stops being protection.

It becomes control.

Interviewer: You often speak about spiritual awareness. Do you see this as part of something deeper?

Rev. Paula: Yes—I truly do. I believe this is part of a larger spiritual battle we are facing in our world today. Not in a fearful way, but in a conscious and awakened way. What we are witnessing is not just political or social—it is spiritual warfare between truth and distortion, love and fear, inclusion and division. The adversary—however one understands that energy—thrives on confusion, fear, separation, and control. And when we see narratives that divide people, diminish others, or create fear-based reactions, we must recognize the deeper spiritual dynamic at play.

But we are not powerless. We fight this not with hatred, but with spiritual clarity and intention. We pray. We affirm truth. We stand in love. We speak up with courage. We hold a vision of equality, dignity, and justice for all people. We call forth divine order, divine protection, and divine truth into our world. And we remember that light always overcomes darkness—not by force, but by its very presence.

So our work is to stay grounded, stay awake, and stay aligned with love—because that is where true power lives.

A Prayer, Meditation, and Affirmation for Healing, Strength, and Awakening

Interviewer: For those who feel affected by this—women, marginalized communities, and even those caught up in fear—what can we do spiritually?

Rev. Paula: We must respond with both strength and compassion. Not only for those who are harmed—but also for those who are caught in fear, anger, and confusion. Because true healing must reach everyone.

Prayer for Healing, Justice, and Awakening

Divine Presence, Source of All Love and Truth,

We come before You with open hearts, asking for healing in a world that feels divided and wounded.

We pray for all women—For their protection, their empowerment, their voices to be heard, For their equal place in every space, And for the recognition of their sacred worth.

We pray for all who are disenfranchised, marginalized, and harmed—Those who have been judged, excluded, or dehumanized. Surround them with Your light, Your strength, and Your peace.

And we also pray for those who are caught in fear—For those experiencing what we call white panic, male panic, and the need to control or dominate. For those influenced by fear-based ideologies, including forms of Christian nationalism and fanatic nationalism that create division, superiority, and harm.

Heal their hearts. Release them from fear, from anger, from deception, and from the illusion of superiority and separation.

Break the grip of fear and false belief systems that lead to domination, violence, harm, and even war. Restore clarity where there is confusion. Restore compassion where there is judgment. Restore humility where there is arrogance.

Transform fear into understanding. Transform anger into compassion. Transform division into unity.

Let no belief rooted in hatred, supremacy, or control take hold where Your love is present.

Guide us all back to truth.

Amen.

Guided Meditation: Returning to Truth and Power

Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in… and slowly release.

Imagine a radiant light above you—pure, loving, and infinite. This light represents truth, divine love, and unity.

Now see that light gently flowing down into your body—Filling your mind with clarity…Your heart with compassion…Your spirit with strength.

As you breathe, feel yourself grounded—safe, protected, and empowered.

Now extend that light outward: To women everywhere seeking equality and justice. To those who feel unseen, unheard, or oppressed. To communities affected by fear, prejudice, and division.

And now—extend that same light to those who are struggling with fear, control, and harmful ideologies. Those who feel threatened…Those who have been drawn into beliefs of superiority, separation, or domination…

See the light reaching them—not to excuse harm, but to transform it. To dissolve fear…To awaken truth…To restore humanity and connection.

Stay here for a moment…In peace…In strength…In truth.

And when you are ready, gently return.

Affirmations for Strength, Healing, and Unity

Repeat slowly, aloud or within:

• I stand in truth, love, and courage.

• I honor the dignity and equality of all people.

• I am protected, guided, and empowered.

• I release fear and stand in clarity.

• I call forth justice, balance, and divine order.

• I choose compassion without surrendering truth.

• I am part of the healing of this world.

• I reject all forms of supremacy, domination, and harm.

• I affirm unity, equality, and shared humanity.

• Love is stronger than fear—and I stand in love.

Closing Reflection

Rev. Paula: This is how we respond. Not by becoming what we oppose—but by rising above it.

We bring light into darkness. We bring truth into confusion. We bring love into fear.

And in doing so—we transform the world.

Rev. Paula Josephine Sadler

Universal Rainbow Faith