When Strong Women Intimidate Weak Men

Greta Thunberg and Ms. Rachel are speaking up for Palestine, and weak men are responding by threatening violence

While the world’s most powerful institutions remain complicit in a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, powerful women are rising up for justice—undaunted, unapologetic, and unbowed. Greta Thunberg and Ms. Rachel are showing the world what real courage and leadership looks like. Meanwhile, weak men are responding to these courageous women by threatening their livelihoods and their lives. It is imperative we call out this violence and stand up for justice. Let’s Address This.

Greta Thunberg (top) speaking up for Palestine. Ms. Rachel (bottom) with a Palestinian girl named Rahaf from Gaza.

For the past 20 months Greta Thunberg has fearlessly spoken out against the genocide in Gaza. She has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Palestinians, enduring smear campaigns and violent rhetoric. And now, she’s on a flotilla en route to Gaza, risking her life to deliver aid and stand in solidarity with a besieged people. This isn’t just activism—it’s defiance in the face of brutality.

Ms. Rachel, a beloved children's content creator whose platform reaches hundreds of millions of families, could have stayed silent. She could’ve pretended it Gaza doesn’t affect her and just played it safe for her personal brand and livelihood. Instead, she chose to speak up—to humanize Palestinian children, to call out injustice, and to embrace Palestinian children with open arms. As a result, she has been forced to endure an avalanche of harassment and hate. She’s risking her career, her safety, and her livelihood because she knows that neutrality in the face of oppression is complicity.

What do these women get in return for their moral clarity and courage? Threats.

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham—yes, an elected official—posted a veiled threat on social media about Greta’s humanitarian voyage, writing: "Hope Greta and her friends can swim!" This isn’t a joke. This is a U.S. Senator threatening a young woman for trying to deliver aid.

Israeli-based international human rights lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky described Thunberg as a "little Jihadi" and sneered that it would be "so sad if something were to happen to her flotilla." He later deleted his tweet. This isn’t advocacy. It’s incitement. And it’s coming from someone who dares to call himself a human rights lawyer. As an actual human rights lawyer myself—one who cares for and speaks up for all humanity—I cannot express my disgust strongly enough at Ostrovsky’s vile threat against Greta.

Then there’s the corporate media. Instead of celebrating Ms. Rachel’s bravery, The New York Times launched a hit piece against her, pushing baseless conspiracy theories that she was being "paid by Hamas." No evidence. No sources. Just vile propaganda designed to smear her reputation and silence her voice. It’s not just bad journalism—it’s cowardice in print.

We Must Stand Against These Threats

Let’s be clear about what this is: it’s not just threats against Greta and Ms. Rachel. It’s a warning to all women: if you speak out against genocide, if you challenge injustice, we will come for you. It’s a chilling effect. It’s patriarchy wielding its power to silence truth. And we cannot let it stand.

Greta and Ms. Rachel have more courage than all the world’s so-called leaders combined. They are the voice of conscience in a time of mass silence. They are the soul of our shared humanity in a time of unspeakable horror. And they deserve not only our applause—but our protection.

Their stories remind us that women are leading the moral fight for Gaza. And when powerful women rise, insecure men panic. That panic manifests as threats, smears, and violence. But we must not be deterred. This is not just about Gaza. This is not just about Greta or Ms. Rachel. This is about the world we are choosing to create. Are we building a world where speaking up for justice gets you killed, or one where silence is the real crime?

To those trying to smear and silence these amazing women—know this: we see you. And we stand with these amazing women, and against your injustice. My ask of everyone reading this is to take the simple action to support Greta. Support Ms. Rachel. Share their stories. Elevate their platforms. Let us do what is in our power to give those courageous women the support they need and deserve. And speak up—because there is nothing weak men fear more than courageous women who have won the hearts of the people.