The recent removal of information on birth control, domestic violence, and abortion from U.S. government websites is not just a bureaucratic adjustment. It is an ideological move, signaling the next phase of the Trump administration’s push to restore traditional values in their most conservative form. These changes come amid the dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, the rollback of transgender rights, and the reassessment of gender policies. Together, they indicate a clear agenda: the government is working to regulate rigid social norms, leaving no space for deviation from a “traditional” framework.
The removal of information about reproductive rights is not just about restricting access to medical data—it is a tool for restructuring society itself. By erasing information on contraception and reproductive health, the government is shaping a world where women’s autonomy and right to choose are diminished. In the U.S., where abortion has long been a weapon in political battles, and many states now ban the procedure entirely, limiting access to information is the next logical step in restricting women’s rights. It will disproportionately impact young and low-income women, depriving them of basic knowledge about their own bodies and reproductive choices. The outcome is predictable: a rise in unplanned pregnancies, increased economic dependence on men, and the reinforcement of a traditional family model where a woman’s role is limited: home, children, submission.
Even more alarming is the removal of resources on domestic violence. It is not just a technical step; it is a symbolic statement that the government no longer considers protecting victims of abuse a priority. Within a conservative agenda, family conflicts are considered private matters to be resolved within the home, without law enforcement or state intervention. This shift weakens protections for women and children, reduces funding for crisis shelters and survivor support programs, and, in the long term, could lead to a rollback of legal safeguards for abuse victims. Women who try to escape abusive relationships will face more significant pressure to stay, and practices that are currently considered human rights violations may become normalized.
As someone who has spent years working to protect women, I know exactly where this path leads. Russia is one of the few countries without a law on the prevention of domestic violence. As a member of parliament, I was one of the authors and key advocates of a domestic violence prevention bill. Still, it was sabotaged and blockedunder the pretext of protecting “traditional family values.” As a result, thousands of women in Russia are killed by their partners each year, with no legal consequences. Trump’s policies are following this same trajectory: erase the problem from public discourse, eliminate state mechanisms to protect victims, and promote the idea that domestic violence should be handled “within the family.”
As these changes roll out, those who deviate from the administration’s vision of ideal gender roles will face more and more hostility, and the pressure to conform will increase. I have witnessed firsthand how the “divide and conquer” principle works and the devastating changes it has brought to Russia. It started with labeling people: you are “normal,” or you are a “damned f****t”; you are a “proper woman,” or you are an unmarried outcast. You are able-bodied, or you are nothing but “biomass.” These labels became tools of alienation and silencing, fostering a culture of fear and conformity. This systematic marginalization paved the way for identifying and persecuting internal enemies who didn’t conform to the state’s rigid definitions. Over time, this eroded trust within communities, fractured social cohesion, and allowed power to be centralized in the hands of the state.
Externally, these cultural shifts gave the government the pretext to consolidate authority by rallying the population against perceived foreign enemies. The rhetoric of “defending traditional values” and “protecting the nation” became the justification for external aggression, from military interventions to disinformation campaigns aimed at destabilizing other countries. The consequences have been profound: within Russia, dissent has been silenced, minorities vilified, and society deeply polarized. Beyond its borders, this strategy has fueled mistrust and hostility, leaving Russia isolated and locked in a cycle of repression and conflict.
What is happening in the U.S. bears a striking resemblance to these tactics. The erasure of DEI programs and the deletion of vital health information from government platforms reflect a broader agenda prioritizing hierarchy over inclusion, conformity over individuality, and silence over progress. The fragmentation of society into “deserving” and “undeserving” groups, the suppression of rights under the guise of morality, and the strategic use of traditional values as a political weapon are not new strategies. They have already been tested in Russia with catastrophic results.
Trump’s policies are taking us in the same direction, though in a more subtle way. Unlike the Russian government, which enforces repression through direct legislation, American conservatives are erasing rights through information control. They do not explicitly ban discussions on reproductive rights—they eliminate official data, making the issue invisible. They do not openly endorse domestic violence, but by removing it as a state-recognized issue, they allow it to persist unchecked. They do not declare women to be a state resource, but they create conditions where women lose independence and become economically and socially dependent on men.