4.2.25 President Trump’s challenges at home and abroad, World Tour, and La Leche League’s “gender inclusion”

Summary

The World and Everything In It – Episode 4.2.25 Summary

Release Date: April 2, 2025
Host: WORLD Radio
Title: President Trump’s Challenges at Home and Abroad, World Tour, and La Leche League’s “Gender Inclusion”

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1. Domestic Politics and President Trump’s Policies

Tariff Plan and Economic Implications
The episode opens with Lindsay Mast introducing President Trump’s major new tariff plan aimed at creating reciprocal tariffs on countries that impose import taxes on U.S. goods.

• Quote: "We cannot take a chance. We have a slim margin. We don't want to take any chances. We don't want to experiment." – George [00:12]

Trump has implemented a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, which he has branded as "Liberation Day" (Caroline Levitt).

• Quote: "Too many foreign countries have their markets closed to our exports." – Joe Postel [01:12]
• Quote: "This is fundamentally unfair." – Tammy Bruce [01:16]

Democrats criticize the tariffs, arguing they harm American consumers amid rising inflation and a volatile stock market.

• Quote: "They have not taken a single step toward bringing down the high cost of living." – Congressman Pete Aguilar [01:37]

Wisconsin State Supreme Court Election
Kent Covington reports on Wisconsin's pivotal Supreme Court election where liberal Judge Susan Crawford defeated conservative Judge Brad Schimmel, shifting the court to a 4-3 liberal majority.

• Quote: "If you lose control of the House, there will be nonstop impeachment hearings and subpoenas..." – Elisa McClain [02:29]

Elon Musk, supporting Schimmel, warned that a Crawford victory could lead to redrawn district lines favoring Democrats.

House Republicans vs. Judicial Overreach
The discussion shifts to House Republicans' efforts to curb what they perceive as judicial overreach by federal courts issuing nationwide injunctions against Trump's agenda.

• Quote: "It is an extraordinary remedy that is being abused, and so it's time for Congress to step in..." – Congressman Derek Schmidt [04:07]

Republicans argue that district courts are overstepping, while Democrats defend the judiciary's independence. The House is expected to vote on limiting the scope of these injunctions.

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2. International Affairs

Israel’s Airstrike Near Beirut
In Lebanon, an Israeli airstrike targeting Hezbollah killed at least three individuals, including Hassan Ali Mahmoud Bader, a key terrorist figure collaborating with Hamas.

• Quote: "Bader was in the process of working with Hamas terrorists to mount a major, imminent attack against Israeli citizens." – Tammy Bruce [04:45]

Educational Reforms in Idaho
Idaho has mandated comprehensive education on prenatal development for 5th to 12th-grade students, emphasizing biological processes from fertilization to organ development.

• Quote: "Students will also watch ultrasounds and animated videos showing how babies grow before birth." – Joe Postel [05:07]

This move, supported by pro-life advocates, marks Idaho as the third state to implement such curriculum changes alongside North Dakota and Tennessee.

US Ambassador to the UN Nomination Fallout
A significant portion of the episode covers the unexpected retraction of President Trump’s nomination of Congresswoman Elise Stefanik as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

• Quote: "We cannot take a chance. We have a slim margin." – George [07:49]

With Republicans holding a precarious two-seat majority in the House, Trump decided to retain Stefanik to avoid risking her House seat amid competitive special elections in Florida.

• Quote: "The House is expected to vote this week to limit the scope of district court injunctions." – Kent Covington [07:58]

Peace Talks in Ukraine
Trump administration negotiators left Saudi Arabia with a tentative 30-day ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine, aiming to free up Black Sea shipping lanes. However, differing objectives between the U.S. and the conflicting nations create tension.

• Quote: "We should be defeating it. We can do that with tough sanctions." – George [13:46]

While Trump pushes for negotiations and potential sanction escalations, critics argue that engaging Russia undermines national security and war aims.

• Quote: "Russia is an aggressive state. It's committing genocide. It's engaged in acts of brutality." – Gordon Chang [13:40]

Despite efforts, the ceasefire is reportedly fracturing, with the Kremlin rejecting the current U.S. proposals as insufficient.

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3. Human Interest Stories

Dr. Michael Zollicoffer’s Community Support
A heartwarming segment highlights Baltimore’s Dr. Michael Zollicoffer, renowned for treating poor patients for free and being highly accessible to his community. Upon receiving a double cancer diagnosis and facing insurance hurdles, his patients rallied to support him.

• Quote: "Whatever needs to be done to save Dr. Z, we're going to do it." – Joe Postel [21:25]

Through crowdfunding, the community raised over $100,000, enabling Dr. Z to commence his necessary treatments.

• Quote: "I am the happiest man on the planet, no matter what the outcome." – Dr. Zollicoffer [22:13]

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4. La Leche League’s “Gender Inclusion” Controversy

Ruth Lewis’s Experience
Ruth Lewis, a long-time La Leche League (LLL) leader, recounts her struggles with the organization’s shift towards gender-inclusive language and policies. Initially supportive, Lewis grew increasingly uncomfortable as LLL introduced terms like "chest feeding" and expanded support to include transgender parents.

• Quote: "I was obliged to use what LLL calls a variety of terms, but I kind of gritted my teeth and did as minimally as possible." – Ruth Lewis [24:22]

Her resistance culminated when her supervisor demanded changes to her articles to be more inclusive, leading to conflicts and eventual resignation from her editorial role.

• Quote: "It didn't talk about breastfeeding and it didn't talk about mothers. And I... it was the last straw." – Ruth Lewis [25:19]

Following organizational backlash and a media smear campaign, Lewis and like-minded leaders were ousted from LLL, prompting them to establish independent breastfeeding support groups focused exclusively on mothers.

• Quote: "It's something that matters deeply to a lot of mums, and that's why it's important to keep fighting it." – Ruth Lewis [29:33]

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5. Commentary: The Decline of Traditional Relationships

Janie B. Cheney on Love and Marriage
The episode concludes with Janie B. Cheney discussing the erosion of traditional relationships in the wake of the sexual revolution. Highlighting the decline in dating among teens and the rise of aromantic identities, Cheney attributes these trends to cultural shifts and economic factors affecting young women.

• Quote: "Good marriages are the strongest indicator of human happiness." – Janie B. Cheney [34:33]

Challenging modern relationship norms, Cheney advocates for a return to steadfast love and faithfulness as foundational principles capable of healing societal fractures.

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Notable Quotes & Highlights

• President Trump on Tariffs:
  "We cannot take a chance. We have a slim margin. We don't want to take any chances. We don't want to experiment." – George [00:12]

• Elise Stefanik on Her Career:
  "I'm humbled to have made history as the youngest woman ever elected to Congress." – Elise Stefanik [08:50]

• Ruth Lewis on LLL Policies:
  "A male wanting to breastfeed a baby is a safeguarding issue." – Ruth Lewis [26:17]

• Dr. Zollicoffer on Life:
  "I am the happiest man on the planet, no matter what the outcome." – Dr. Michael Zollicoffer [22:13]

• Janie B. Cheney on Marriage:
  "Good marriages are the strongest indicator of human happiness." – Janie B. Cheney [34:33]

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Conclusion
This episode of The World and Everything In It delves into President Trump’s domestic and international challenges, scrutinizes cultural shifts within organizations like La Leche League, and reflects on the state of modern relationships. Through comprehensive reporting and poignant interviews, WORLD Radio offers listeners insightful analysis grounded in current events and societal trends.

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For additional details and in-depth coverage, listeners are encouraged to tune into the full episode.

Transcript

[Lindsay Mast]

Good morning. The president clings to a tiny majority in the US House even at the cost of a key nomination.

[George]

We cannot take a chance. We have a slim margin. We don't want to take any chances. We don't want to experiment.

[Nick Iger]

Also today, Russia, Ukraine and the US Attempt to find common ground. That's ahead on Washington Wednesday and World Tour. Later, a fight over so called inclusive language and a support group for mothers.

[Ruth Lewis]

Obliged to use what LLL calls a variety of terms. But I kind of gritted my teeth and did.

[Lindsay Mast]

It's Wednesday, April 2nd. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Nick Iger]

And I'm Nick Iger. Good morning.

[Lindsay Mast]

Up next, Kent Covington has today's news.

[Kent Covington]

President Trump will unveil a major new tariff plan today. He's been hyping up the announcement for weeks, calling April 2 Liberation Day White House press Secretary Caroline Levitt.

[Joe Postel]

Too many foreign countries have their markets closed to our exports.

[Tammy Bruce]

This is fundamentally unfair.

[Kent Covington]

The president has long promised reciprocal tariffs on countries that currently place import taxes on US goods. New 25% tariffs on many imports from Canada and Mexico also take effect today. Democrats say it's bad news for Americans. Congressman Pete Aguilar said of the Trump administration they have not taken a single.

[Nick Iger]

Step toward bringing down the high cost of living. Now the stock market is crashing and inflation is rising.

[Kent Covington]

Analysts say Wall street has been jittery. But far from being in freefall, the Trump administration says any short term strain that tariffs could cause will be more than offset by upcoming tax cuts, major regulation rollbacks, and eliminating waste, fraud and abuse. Voters in Wisconsin just decided the balance of power in the state Supreme Court in an election with national implications. Liberal Judge Susan Crawford defeated conservative Judge Brad Schimmel, giving liberals a 43 majority in the state's high court. Leading up to the vote. Shimmel supporter Elon Musk argued that the election was critical because he said a Crawford win would likely mean redrawn district lines that could Democrats to capture critical U.S. house seats. In Wisconsin.

[Elisa McClain]

If you lose control of the House, there will be nonstop impeachment hearings and subpoenas, and it's going to do everything possible to stop the agenda that the.

[Joe Postel]

American people voted for.

[Kent Covington]

Wisconsin's high court could also hear state cases involving abortion and voter id. Meanwhile, in Florida, Republicans want a pair of important votes to help protect their slim majority in the US House. Jimmy Petronas and Randy Fine won special elections Tuesday in two congressional districts. They were bolstered by President Trump's endorsement to fill vacant seats in reliably Republican strongholds on Capitol Hill. The subcommittee will come to order.

[George]

We welcome everyone here today for a.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Joint hearing on judicial overreach in the federal courts.

[Kent Covington]

House Republicans on Tuesday took aim at a wave of nationwide injunctions from federal district court judges blocking President Trump's agenda. They say the judges are abusing their power and flouting the separation of powers. Congressman Tom Emmer District courts issued more universal injunctions and restraining orders during February 2025 alone than in the first three years of the Biden administration. But Democratic Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon said that is more of a reflection on the president than on the courts. When the president attempts illegal or unconstitutional.

[Sumantra Maitre]

Actions, United States judges, guided by the.

[Kent Covington]

Letter of the law, must rule against him. But Republicans insist it is clear the district courts are claiming more power than ever before. Congressman Derek Schmidt said of nationwide injunctions, it is an extraordinary remedy that is being abused, and so it's time for Congress to step in if the courts won't do it and restore balance so.

[Elisa McClain]

That this rare tool is in fact used rarely.

[Kent Covington]

And that's exactly what this bill does. The House is expected to vote this week to limit the scope of district court injunctions. In Lebanon, crews picked through the rubble of a building near Beirut after local authorities say an Israeli airstrike killed at least three people. Israel's foreign Minister Gideon Saar says Israeli forces took out a Hezbollah terrorist named Hassan Ali Mahmoud Bader. The terrorist posed a real and immediate.

[Sumantra Maitre]

Threat, what we called ticking bomb.

[Tammy Bruce]

Therefore we had to eliminate the threat, he says.

[Kent Covington]

Bade was in the process of working with Hamas terrorists to mount a major, imminent attack against Israeli citizens. Kids in Idaho will soon learn about how babies grow in the womb as part of their school curriculum. World's Kristin Flavin has more.

[Joe Postel]

Beginning in the next school year, students in the 5th through 12th grades will learn about how children develop in the womb. The curriculum will explain everything from fertilization to how vital organs develop in early pregnancy. Students will also watch ultrasounds and animated videos showing how babies grow before birth. Republican governor Brad Little recently signed a bill into law mandating the instruction in public schools. Idaho is the third state to adopt such legislation, along with North Dakota and Tennessee. Pro life advocates cheered the bill, which overwhelmingly passed in both the state Senate and House. For World I'm Kristen Flavin.

[Kent Covington]

Attorney General Pam Bondi says the Department of Justice will seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione. He is the man accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside of A Manhattan hotel in December. The 26 year old faces separate federal and state murder charges. I'm Kent Covington. And straight ahead, changing priorities on Washington Wednesday is Plus one woman's call to help new moms care for their babies. This is the world and everything in it.

[Lindsay Mast]

It's Wednesday, the 2nd of April. Thanks for listening to World Radio. Good morning, I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Nick Iger]

And I'm Nick Iker. Time now for Washington Wednesday. Today, obstacles to peace negotiations over the war in Ukraine. But first, the rise and fall of a nomination. Here is world Washington bureau reporter Leo Braceno.

[Elisa McClain]

Just days after winning his election, President Donald Trump announced his pick for the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. As a key supporter of Trump with a proven track record, that pick came as little surprise on the Hill. Since her nomination, Stefanik has been saying goodbye to Congress and the district she's represented for 10 years. Here she is on a farewell tour back in February.

[Tammy Bruce]

I have to say I am truly overwhelmed by this unbelievable outpouring of love.

[Joe Postel]

And support as we begin, begin to close this incredible chapter and embark on a new one.

[Elisa McClain]

But on Thursday, Trump made a surprise announcement.

[George]

And I said, lisa, would you do me a favor? We can, we cannot take a chance. We have a slim margin. We don't want to take any chances. We don't want to experiment.

[Elisa McClain]

Trump retracted his nomination for Stefanik to represent the US at the UN he said he couldn't afford to lose Stefanik's seat in the House of Representatives where Republicans hold just a two seat majority, one of the smallest in the history of the chamber. He also cited a pair of special elections set to fill two empty seats in Florida on Tuesday afternoon.

[George]

You have two races and they seem to be good. It's a Trump plus 32 area. The one thing is they're spending like $12 million and our candidate doesn't have that kind of money spending much less than that, like maybe 1/12 little bit more than a million dollars. So the airwaves are blanketed and you never know what happens in a case like that. I won it by 32 points.

[Elisa McClain]

It's a stark reversal. Stefanik has been one of Trump's most loyal advocates in Congress and one of the most accomplished Republicans in the conference.

[Joe Postel]

I'm humbled to have made history as the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.

[Kent Covington]

At the time to serve as the.

[Joe Postel]

Highest ranking woman in House elected leadership of either party.

[Nick Iger]

And this highest ranking New York Republican in Congress, Congress in over 100 years.

[Elisa McClain]

The move also says A lot about Trump's feelings towards the tight margins in the House of Representatives, a situation that he contributed to.

[Joe Postel]

I think that this was entirely foreseeable.

[Elisa McClain]

That's Joe Postel, associate professor of politics at Hillsdale College.

[Joe Postel]

Speaker Johnson was very clear about this.

[Nick Iger]

Well before this Congress got underway, that.

[Kent Covington]

The more people Trump appointed from the House, you know, into his administration, the harder it would be to get major legislation which Trump expects to get through the House.

[Elisa McClain]

Postel doesn't think keeping Stefanik around is really about potentially losing that seat to a Democratic challenger. Instead, it's more about the timing of how long the seat would have been empty and how they could get in the way of other legislation.

[Kent Covington]

I think the mindset here is less we're concerned about the current climate in.

[Joe Postel]

The country and more that's just in.

[Kent Covington]

An era where you have really narrow majority like this, you just need every vote you can get.

[Elisa McClain]

But is one more vote really all that important? I asked Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the House Majority Leader for the gop, what adding those two Florida seats and keeping Stefanik around does for leadership enable us.

[Kent Covington]

To double our majority from two to four. That's going to be significant. Four doesn't sound like a large majority, but when you only have a two seat majority, it's a big improvement.

[Elisa McClain]

For now, Stefanik returns to being a rank and file member. Here's Michigan Congresswoman Elisa McClain, the new GOP House Conference Chair who has taken over the role that Stefanik used to hold.

[Carolina Lumeta]

You know, we welcome Elise back with open arms.

[Nick Iger]

I feel horrible for the position that she's in, but trust me, we are.

[Sumantra Maitre]

Glad to have her back.

[Elisa McClain]

Speaker Johnson has said that the conference will carve out a role for Stefanik on the chamber's leadership, but it hasn't said what that position will look like. Reporting for World I'm Leo Braceno in Washington.

[Nick Iger]

Turning now to peace talks for Ukraine, American negotiators left Saudi Arabia last week with an announcement between Russia and Ukraine. The two warring nations agreed to a 30 day ceasefire and a deal to free up shipping lanes in the Black Sea.

[Lindsay Mast]

The Trump administration says that it's never been closer to peace, but the parties appear to have different ideas about what that word means. Washington bureau reporter Carolina Lumeta has the story.

[Joe Postel]

There is one North Star for everyone.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Involved in this, and it is the ceasefire and stopping the carnage.

[Tammy Bruce]

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce discussed the negotiations in a news conference this week.

[Carolina Lumeta]

President Trump, of course, he knows and he understands.

[Joe Postel]

And we operate with the realization that.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Negotiations are going to require both Russia and Ukraine to make tough decisions and compromises.

[Tammy Bruce]

The Kremlin added some conditions after the Saudi Arabia block Ukraine from joining NATO and revoke U.S. sanctions on Russian banks. Meanwhile, Ukraine wants a guarantee that other nations will help defend them against Russian aggression. For months, White House negotiators have met separately with Ukrainian and Russian delegations. After weeks of pressuring Ukraine to sign a minerals deal and agree to a ceasefire, Trump is now turning the heat on Putin by threatening more sanctions.

[George]

I think it's a very worthwhile thing to do, and I think we will. No, I want to make sure that he follows through and I think he will. I don't want to go secondary tariffs on his oil, but I think, you know, it's something I would do if I thought he wasn't doing the job. I did it with Venezuela.

[Tammy Bruce]

Foreign policy analysts say the seesaw effect is typical of Russia. Daniel Cochas is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute's center on Europe and Eurasia.

[Nick Iger]

I think that the Russians are probably.

[Kent Covington]

Going to go through with some kind.

[Nick Iger]

Of theater of negotiations, try to drag them out. Maybe the US Is able to get a temporary ceasefire, but I think getting that final point, I'm pretty dubious about that. And the reason is I don't think.

[Kent Covington]

The Russians actually want to settle the conflict right now.

[Tammy Bruce]

President Trump said throughout his campaign that he would end the Russia Ukraine war on day one. Now he says that stopping the bloodshed is the top priority. Here's Coches again.

[Nick Iger]

I think for many people in Washington, it'd be very uncomfortable to essentially bring the Russians back in from the cold and to start negotiations with them. I think that this administration has sort.

[Kent Covington]

Of put those qualms aside in their.

[Nick Iger]

Interest of pursuing a quick ceasefire and negotiations with the Russians.

[Tammy Bruce]

Trump's willingness to send envoys to Russia and hold hours long phone calls with Putin also worries some in the national security community. At the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, political commentator Gordon Chang told World it's important to remember Russia. Russia is the aggressor.

[Nick Iger]

We didn't negotiate with the Third Reich. We did not negotiate with Imperial Japan.

[George]

Russia is an aggressive state.

[Nick Iger]

It's committing genocide. It's engaged in acts of brutality. We shouldn't be talking to it. We should be defeating it.

[George]

And we can do that with tough sanctions.

[Nick Iger]

We can starve the Russians. If they don't have money. They are not going to be able to fight the war.

[Tammy Bruce]

But sanctions take time. Other analysts argue that the US Is too involved in Ukraine's War. Sumantra Maitre is a senior fellow at the center for Renewing America, a conservative think tank.

[Elisa McClain]

Trump can be his worldview candy boiled down to some basic instincts when it comes to one, foreign policy and two, mercantilism. The man likes to have good trade deals. The man likes to have good relations with other great powers, which could do us a lot of harm.

[Tammy Bruce]

Along with stopping the fighting, Trump is focused on recouping some or all of the money the Biden administration dedicated to Ukraine. Since 2022, Congress has appropriated nearly $200 billion to responding to the war, nearly 120 billion of which flows directly to Ukraine's government. Trump now says that's a loan, not a gift. Maitra says Trump's strategy speaks to his business background and unwillingness to keep sending what amounts to blank checks to Ukraine.

[Elisa McClain]

And we essentially kind of like kept giving them money. They were the ones who were deciding it, and Trump kind of put a stop to that. So now it's kind of like in an old school way, like we are the ones giving money, we're the ones giving weapons, and we're telling you what to do.

[Tammy Bruce]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he's open to working with the US but he's also holding out for security guarantees without the threat of American might. He is concerned Russia will violate any ceasefire. In a video posted to social media earlier this week, Zelensky thanked European leaders for increasing their aid contributions. He also touted a recent summit in Bucha, Ukraine, where leaders agreed that Russia should be held responsible for war crimes. But Maitre says that as long as Ukraine stays out of NATO, the US should not be so involved in the war. He argues that instead of pushing Russia away towards other enemies like China, Trump is right to start thawing relations.

[Elisa McClain]

At the end of the day, you cannot turn Russia to Switzerland. It's never going to be a Madisonian democracy, but we can have kind of like a negative equilibrium with this country, and that is what he aspired to achieve.

[Tammy Bruce]

Meanwhile, Trump's ceasefire deal appears to be fracturing before it's even been drafted. On Tuesday, the Kremlin told Russian state media that it takes the US proposals seriously, but cannot sign the ceasefire as it currently stands. Reporting for World I'm Carolina Lumeta.

[Kent Covington]

Additional support comes from letourneau University, the Christian Polytechnic University. More at letu.

[Joe Postel]

Edu.

[Lindsay Mast]

Coming up next on the World and Everything in It World tour with our reporter in Africa. Onise Adua.

[Sumantra Maitre]

A somber end to the Islamic Ramadan season in Myanmar. Also known as Burma after last week's deadly earthquake. The 7.7 magnitude quake centered mostly across the middle of the military led country and has killed more than 2,700 people. People at least 20 also died in neighboring Thailand. The earthquake struck during the regular Friday Islamic prayers. Authorities said some 700 people died when mosques collapsed. Sandar Ang lost her son. She ran to the mosque after the quake to look for him, but her husband later found him. She says the doctors tried their best, but her son passed away that evening. In the city of Mandalay, some 270 Buddhist monks were taking a religious exam when their building crumpled. Authorities expect the toll to rise since many areas still lack necessary rescue equipment and access. Over in Syria, a transitional government assumed office over the weekend. The swearing in ceremony comes nearly four months after the ouster of longtime leader Bashar al Assad and replaces the caretaker government led by interim Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara. He says the leaders are committed to building a new stable nation that prioritizes the people. The 23 member cabinet includes Shiraz, close associates and some minority representation like veteran Assad critic Hind Kabawat, a Christian minority and the new government's first female appointment. Three other ministers also came from the Druze, Kurdish and Alawite minority groups. Clashes in Syria's coastal region last month left more than a thousand people dead. The violence targeted mostly Alawites and also included Christian victims. In Argentina, thousands of people crowded the streets of the capital, Buenos Aires, on Saturday to protest elective abortions. Demonstrators called on the government to abolish a 2021 law that allows abortions up to 14 weeks and later in some cases of sexual assault or when the mother's life is at risk. Amparo Medina leads a pro life foundation in Ecuador. She says Latin American culture children have the right to live while women in difficult situations need more help and not abortions. Argentine President Javier Milei had pledged to review the legislation during his campaign before assuming office in 2023, but he has yet to act on it. We end today in the Balkan nation of Bosnia Herzegovina, where one pilgrim is praying across 620 miles for peace between the country's three major communities. The Bosnian war began in 1992 and lasted three years, leaving behind ethnically fueled rifts among the Muslims, Orthodox Serbs and Catholic Croats. 32 year old Josep Jelenic hoists a nearly 18 pound cross on his shoulder as he walks across different towns and war memorials praying for reconciliation. His efforts have drawn reactions from locals, with some stopping to offer a hug or invite him into their home for a meal. Jelenik says many families are still hurt by the effects of the war. He says he hopes they will forgive their enemies. And he called on forgiveness, a poison that devours people. Some Bosnian Serb leaders are increasing calls for secession. In February, the region passed a set of laws that bar the state, judiciary and police from operating there. Jelenik will end his pilgrimage on April 18, Good Friday, 2 days before Easter Sunday. That's it for this week's world tour. Reporting for WORLD I'm Onize Odua in Abuja, Nigeria.

[George]

To my big brother George, the richest.

[Nick Iger]

Man in town, it is a wonderful life. And CBS News recently found a man wealthier than even the fictional George Bailey. Dr. Z to his neighbors, Baltimore's Dr. Michael Zollicoffer just love people. He's treated countless poor patients for free. He gives out his personal cell phone number. He is available 24 7.

[Joe Postel]

You'll never meet another person like him.

[Nick Iger]

But then came double cancer diagnosis and a paperwork foul up that left him with no insurance and no way to pay for the treatment he desperately needed. So his patients stepped up.

[Joe Postel]

Whatever needs to be done to save Dr. Z, we're going to do it.

[Nick Iger]

They crowdfunded more than $100,000. They cleared up those insurance problems. So his treatments began. And as for Dr. Z, I'm thankful.

[George]

That I got cancer because I am the happiest man on the planet, no matter what the outcome.

[Nick Iger]

A doctor with a gift for giving now receiving what he's freely given away. It's the world and everything in it. Today is Wednesday, April 2nd. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning. I'm Nick Iker.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. Coming next on THE WORLD and Everything in it. Fighting a losing battle. Over the past few years, transgender ideology has allowed men into women's bathrooms, sports, prisons, and now support groups for nursing mothers. For almost 70 years, the organization La Leche League has supported breastfeeding moms and now breastfeeding parents.

[Nick Iger]

The cultural and policy changes came gradually and then all at once. World's Mary Muncie talked with a woman who saw all this from the inside.

[Joe Postel]

More than 20 years ago, Ruth Lewis was sitting in the back room of a library full of breastfeeding moms snuggling her three month old. It was a place that felt safe to talk about aches and pains, a lack of sleep or just needing space.

[Ruth Lewis]

And you can have a moan about those things without being told, oh, well, maybe you should stop breastfeeding and give them a bottle.

[Joe Postel]

Lewis quickly became a leader with La leche League, or LLL. She led support groups, and in 2019, she started editing the organization's newsletter for members.

[Ruth Lewis]

I wanted to give back.

[Joe Postel]

But as she got more involved, she started to notice a shift. In 2016, a Canadian woman who identified as a man named Trevor became an LLL leader.

[Ruth Lewis]

That was kind of a Trojan horse.

[Joe Postel]

The organization started sprinkling in terms like chest feeding instead of breastfeeding and the role of parents and families in breastfeeding to replace mothers. Lewis says. At first it was manageable.

[Ruth Lewis]

I was obliged to use what LLL calls a variety of terms, but I kind of gritted my teeth and did as minimally as possible.

[Joe Postel]

But she had a hard line. She would stick to the guidelines with her own articles, but she wouldn't ask contributors to change their language. And no one asked her to for almost five years.

[Ruth Lewis]

And then there was an instance where one of the leaders had written a lovely piece and she'd written it using all sex based, mother based language.

[Joe Postel]

Her supervisor wanted to change it to include language about mothers and parents or.

[Ruth Lewis]

Families, which is just ridiculous.

[Joe Postel]

The writer agreed to change one of the instances on a technicality. But Lewis's supervisors pulled the article at the last minute in favor of a different one, one with more inclusive language.

[Ruth Lewis]

It didn't talk about breastfeeding and it didn't talk about mothers. And I. For me, that was the last straw.

[Joe Postel]

She resigned as editor shortly after that, but she stayed on as a support group leader. She thought maybe she could still help from the inside. She started talking to her supervisors and posting in LLL Facebook groups about the dangers of inducing lactation in men through hormones and medications. One leader told her that there's plenty of research on inducing lactation in adoptive mothers.

[Ruth Lewis]

And when I pointed out that those medications were being used on a completely different physiology, male rather than female, she just didn't seem to think this was an issue at all.

[Joe Postel]

Lewis also points out that a man wanting to breastfeed may not be about what's best for the baby. It may be about confirming his identity as a woman. Or worse.

[Ruth Lewis]

A male wanting to breastfeed a baby is a safeguarding issue.

[Joe Postel]

Plus, she says, many women just wouldn't feel as comfortable in a support group with a man present, whether that's for.

[Ruth Lewis]

Religious or cultural reasons, whether it's because they've been subjected to male violence or sexual abuse.

[Joe Postel]

It wouldn't be that safe place anymore.

[Ruth Lewis]

But it's not the same. And there are women who would not be comfortable doing that. A lot of women.

[Joe Postel]

She wrote about these problems and talked to her supervisors. But all of Lewis's Facebook posts criticizing transgender ideology were censored or taken down. By late 2023, Lewis and a few other leaders who shared her views decided to run for election to the board of trustees for the Great Britain branch, and they won about half the seats. One of the first things they did was get a legal opinion confirming that it's illegal for the branch to serve anyone but mothers, which is defined in law as excluding males, meaning that if Lewis and her team did start serving men identifying as women like lll wanted, they could be prosecuted. But it didn't matter. By the end of the summer, lll suspended Lewis and those who agreed with her. And by October of last year, the organization removed Lewis's breastfeeding leader accreditation.

[Ruth Lewis]

I was the only active leader in Nottingham, where I live. I had to tell them that basically the group was shutting. So I did and I had some beautiful emails and messages from mums I've supported and I spent probably about two days crying.

[Joe Postel]

The mothers expressed how helpful the group had been to them and what it would mean to not have one anymore.

[Ruth Lewis]

That really made it hit home just what lll had done to me personally and the utter betrayal of what I'll allow should be became crystal clear.

[Joe Postel]

Shortly after that, one of the founders of lll stepped down along with a few other leaders because they saw the same issues Lewis did. They took their stories to the media, but lll stuck to its guns.

[Ruth Lewis]

It became clear that we were fighting a losing battle.

[Joe Postel]

In November of last year, Lewis and the others who agreed with her decided to step down from the board and stand for re election. They figured that if they were elected again, it would show lll that it was in the wrong. But Lewis says between the organization revoking their accreditation and a media smear campaign, they lost.

[Ruth Lewis]

So that was the end of our association with lilepsoni.

[Joe Postel]

As much as the separation hurts, Lewis says it's a relief. It gives her time for other things. Things like starting her own mother to mother breastfeeding support group with some other former lll leaders.

[Ruth Lewis]

It's something that matters deeply to a lot of mums, and that's why it's important to keep fighting it.

[Joe Postel]

She's not sure when the organization will be up and running, but she knows that when it is, she'll be back where she wants to be, helping moms and babies. Reporting for World I'm Mary Muncie. Foreign.

[Nick Iger]

Today is Wednesday April 2nd good morning. This is the World and everything in it, from Listener Supported welcome back to World Radio. I'm Nick Iker.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. World commentator Janie B. Cheney says that when it comes to physical intimacy, God's design is best. Even unbelievers are coming around to the idea. Speaking in characteristically frank terms.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Suppose while browsing shelves at the local bookstore, you picked up a book in the young adult section titled A New Guide to sex in the 21st century. Suppose you flip to the table of contents and read such chapter titles. Sex must be taken seriously, Men and women are different, Marriage is good. And finally, listen to your mother. A new guide. Sounds like old fashioned advice from a Christian publisher, but no. The author is Louise Perry, a British journalist, author and secular feminist. Perry introduces this thing called the sexual revolution to her young readers as though they'd never heard of it. And they probably haven't. Like a fish who never thinks about water, today's teens swim in the assumptions of accessible porn and recreational sex, Perry writes. The most popular story told about this revolution, the one told by liberals and progressives, does not recognize its complexity. It sees the sexual revolution as a story only a progress. I know this because I used to believe it. Life experience changed Perry's mind. Now 33, she's following a traditional path of marriage and motherhood. But for most of her contemporaries, such healthy relationships have become difficult to form. In a podcast interview with Bari Weiss, Perry explained how she's come to appreciate Christianity even though she's not a Christian. When it broke upon a ruthless pagan world 2000 years ago, Christianity offered a radical interpretation of sex that proved beneficial for both men and women. But a curious thing happened on the way to sexual liberation, namely, dissolution with sex. After decades of celebrating casual coupling as something the kids are just going to do, it seems kids are doing it less and less. Fewer than 50% of high school students have ever been on a date, and the term aromantic has entered the lexicon as an identity for those resistant to romance. It's a phenomenon with many causes, such as teens moving their social lives from in person to online. But the social anxieties of young people are chasing them into maturity. Whereas in previous generations most would be settling into marriage by age 25, the median age is now 32, if they marry at all. The decline is especially steep among young women, who are, in the words of a recent Wall Street Journal article, giving up on marriage. The widening gender gap in education and income is one big factor, as family researcher Lyman Stone bluntly puts it, women do not typically invest in long term relationships with men who have nothing to contribute economically. That shrinks the suitable husband pool and widens the happiness gap. For numerous studies indicate that good marriages are the strongest indicator of human happiness. In the Bari Weiss interview, Louise Perry anticipated that love and marriage will eventually come back in style. Love is not a style choice. It's a foundational principle. Steadfast love and faithfulness created and sustains this world and everything in it. This love revolutionized the pagan world and is fully capable of repairing our post Christian ruins if he's willing and if his people are willing too. I'm Janie B. Janey.

[Nick Iger]

Tomorrow, the Supreme Court court arguments from later today over funding for Planned Parenthood will have a report and preserving the language of an ancient form of Christianity. That and more tomorrow. I'm Nick Icker.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. The Bible says, know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, the Lord, Lord your God disciplines you. So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. Verses 5 and 6 of Deuteronomy, chapter 8. Go now in grace and peace.