100 Days of Public Hell-th

A deep dive into the Trump administration’s full-scale assault on reproductive health, gender equity, and global public health

💎 Hey Gems,

What we’re witnessing isn’t just ideological. It’s a public health crisis in motion.

Trump’s second term began with a brutal blitz of executive orders, funding cuts, and agency appointments that together make one thing clear: reproductive health, public health infrastructure, and science-based care are under coordinated assault. From dismantling international family planning programs to erasing LGBTQIA+ individuals from federal health policy, this administration is not simply rolling back rights—it’s destabilizing core systems that protect population health.

But it’s not all bad news. We met with both the Democratic Women’s Caucus and the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee to learn what’s gone down and how Congress is fighting back. Let’s dive in…

Alyssa Pointer/Washington Post

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💎 GEMMA Talks 💎

The first 100 days of the Trump administration’s second term have radically reshaped the health policy landscape. In the Guttmacher Institute’s recent analysis, we see a sweeping, data-backed breakdown of how sexual and reproductive health has been attacked—and how that’s affecting health outcomes and infrastructure worldwide.

Here’s what’s changed—and why it matters:

• Pardoning anti-abortion extremists undermines healthcare safety.
  Trump pardoned 23 individuals convicted under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, sending a dangerous message that obstructing or threatening health services will be excused. Clinic violence has long been a barrier to care, with studies showing it leads to staff burnout and clinic closures.

• The Global Gag Rule is cutting off essential health services.
  The reinstated and expanded Mexico City Policy (aka the Global Gag Rule) blocks U.S. global health funds to NGOs that provide, refer, or even discuss abortion. Past research shows this policy reduces contraceptive access and increases unintended pregnancies in affected countries.

• Withdrawing from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) destabilizes global maternal care.
  UNFPA provides maternal and reproductive care in over 150 countries, including in crisis settings. U.S. funding made up a significant portion of its emergency humanitarian assistance, now at risk due to the withdrawal.

• Ending U.S. international family planning grants has massive ripple effects.
  Cutting these grants could deny contraceptive access to more than 47 million women and couples annually. This is likely to result in sharp increases in unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion, especially in regions with fragile health systems.

• Defunding Title X clinics undermines domestic health equity.
  The Title X program serves approximately 3 million patients annually, with 60% living at or below the federal poverty line. Restrictions under this administration are expected to impact care access for as much as 30% of Title X patients.

• Erasing ReproductiveRights.gov limits access to evidence-based information.
  Pulling down this federal website—launched during the Biden administration—removes a centralized source for accurate, science-informed reproductive health guidance. Studies show lack of access to reliable health information contributes to worsening maternal outcomes and misinformation uptake.

• Agency leadership is now anti-science and anti-equity.
  Key public health agencies like HHS and USAID now include leaders with records opposing contraception and abortion access. Leadership attitudes directly shape funding allocations and clinical guidance, particularly for underserved populations.

• Denying gender identity in health policy worsens health disparities.
  Federal directives to disregard transgender identity in health programming impact everything from insurance coverage to data collection. Research from the Trevor Project and Fenway Institute shows this erasure leads to worse mental health outcomes, delayed care, and avoidable deaths among transgender people.

Each of these changes doesn’t just violate individual rights—they weaken public health systems, interrupt care delivery, and worsen long-standing inequities across gender, race, and income lines. But we’re not alone in this hellhole. Our congressional members are - and have been - fighting back. Here’s how:

Full *Women in America - Part 19* launching to @GEMMA_Talks Instagram / Tiktok tomorrow!

Talk the Talk

One of the most critical actions you can take as an activist is to educate your community on the issues you care about. Here are your top-line talking points to discuss this week in your circles:

• These first 100 days have created a public health crisis, not just a political one. Care has been disrupted at a huge scale.

• The global gag rule affects not only abortion, but related services such as HIV prevention, maternal health, and vaccine delivery—it’s a cross-cutting threat to health infrastructure.

• Pardoning extremists who attack clinics sends a chilling message: violence is acceptable in health care spaces.

• Defunding Title X means fewer people get screened for cancer, STIs, and more—putting population health at risk.

• Denying gender-affirming care leads to worse mental and physical health outcomes, including preventable deaths.

Walk the Walk

Using our "Talk the Talk" bullets to educate friends, family, and your community is the first step in your activist journey. You can level up your advocacy even more through the following steps:

• Speak at your local board of health or city council meeting. Share how federal policies are harming real people in your community. Local testimony can shape funding and public opinion.

• Support reproductive health orgs abroad. Give to groups like MSI Reproductive Choices or Ipas, which aren’t bound by U.S. restrictions and are sustaining care for millions.

• Organize community teach-ins. Partner with public health experts to lead sessions on the broader health system impacts of federal policy shifts.

• Elevate trans and public health advocates. Share insights from @TransHealthProj, @ErinInTheMorn, and @Guttmacher to keep your network informed with facts.

• Stay data-driven. Follow KFF, Guttmacher, and Physicians for Reproductive Health for evidence-based policy analysis and tools.

Find us @GEMMA_Talks, @evexplains, @pariphrased