Against the State, against the Church, against the silence of the

Hear, O daughters and sons of history, the fiery words of Margaret Sanger, who declared: “Against the State, against the Church, against the silence of the medical profession, against the whole machinery of dead institutions of the past, the woman of today arises.” These words ring with the spirit of rebellion and renewal. They are not a whisper, nor a timid plea, but a battle-cry—a summons for women to rise against the structures that for centuries chained their bodies, their voices, and their destinies.

The origin of this saying comes from Sanger’s struggle in the early twentieth century, when she defied law and custom to advocate for women’s right to control their own fertility through birth control. In her time, the State outlawed the distribution of information about contraception, the Church condemned it as sin, the medical profession refused to speak of it, and society itself bound women to silence and submission. Against this towering wall of resistance, Sanger raised her voice, declaring that the woman of her age would no longer bow, but rise.

To stand “against the State” was to confront laws written not for freedom but for control, laws that punished those who dared to speak truth about the needs of women. To stand “against the Church” was to challenge centuries of dogma that sanctified suffering while denying women authority over their own bodies. To stand “against the medical profession” was to break the silence of doctors who, through fear or tradition, would not teach what they knew about health and reproduction. And to stand “against dead institutions” was to refuse the weight of history itself, which sought to bind the present to the chains of the past.

History offers us a mirror of this struggle. Think of Joan of Arc, who rose against kings, bishops, and armies, claiming her right to obey the voice of God within her. Or recall Sojourner Truth, who stood against the twin evils of slavery and sexism with the immortal cry, “Ain’t I a woman?” In each case, the rising of women was not only a fight for themselves but for the renewal of humanity. For when women rise, they awaken a force of justice that reshapes the world.

Sanger’s defiance was not for herself alone, but for generations unborn. She saw that a woman chained to endless pregnancies was denied not only health, but freedom—freedom to learn, to work, to dream, to live fully as a human being. By rising “against” the powers that sought to silence her, she stood “for” a new vision: a world where women could claim ownership of their bodies, and through that ownership, claim ownership of their lives.

The deeper meaning of her words is this: progress does not come by waiting for permission from the powerful. It comes when the oppressed stand and declare, “Enough.” The woman of today does not beg for respect—she commands it. She does not wait for institutions to evolve—she forces them to reckon with her presence. To rise against the old is to give birth to the new.

The lesson is clear. When you see injustice, do not wait for institutions to awaken, for they are often slow, heavy with the dust of centuries. Instead, rise—rise with courage, rise with vision, rise with the knowledge that the future depends upon your defiance. And when you rise, do not rise only for yourself, but for all who are voiceless, for all who remain bound by silence.

Thus let Sanger’s words endure: “Against the State, against the Church, against the silence of the medical profession, against the whole machinery of dead institutions of the past, the woman of today arises.” They are not only the cry of her age, but a prophecy for every generation. For as long as there are chains, there will be women who rise; and as long as women rise, humanity moves closer to freedom.