Free Speech Is Fragile And Worth Fighting For

Like many of you, I was struck by the action to abruptly remove late-night host Jimmy Kimmel from the air after remarks he made in his opening monologue about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. While I don’t condone celebrating the loss of life in any circumstance, what concerns me most is what this moment says about the state of free speech in our country.

I am relieved to see Kimmel back on the air. I have many thoughts about his message upon his return, but I’ll save that for another day. As a journalist who has spent much of my life telling stories and now building my own media company — iWomanTV, I know firsthand how fragile our voices can be when they are placed in the hands of others to validate or silence. The First Amendment is not perfect, but it is the bedrock of our democracy — it gives each of us the right to speak, to question, to disagree, and to be heard.

When speech is censored — whether by political influence, corporate pressure, or fear of backlash — we all lose. Because the moment people are afraid to express themselves, the conversation ends. And without conversation, without truth-telling, we cannot grow as a society.

For women especially, the fight to be heard has never been easy. Our voices have too often been dismissed or silenced. That is why protecting our right to speak openly matters so deeply. If we allow fear to quiet us now, we risk undoing generations of progress.

At iWomanTV, our mission is simple: to create space for women’s voices, stories, and perspectives to thrive. That means standing firmly on the principle that freedom of speech — while sometimes messy or uncomfortable — is worth protecting.

Let’s keep using our voices, together. Because silence has never won a war, or freed an innocent person, or changed policy, or protected the rights of women, children, or people of color. Silence alone can never be the answer.

With gratitude,

Cathleen