Songfacts®:

• In this song, Ani DiFranco takes on religious leaders and politicians who oppose a woman's right to choose. She points out that all a man needs to be free is money, but a woman also needs her reproductive rights. She sings:
  
  Government, religion
  It's all just patriarchy
  I must insist
  You leave this one thing to me
  
  The song came at a time when America was nearing the 2016 presidential election between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Trump made it clear that he would try to outlaw abortion if he were elected.
• DiFranco issued this statement when the song was released: "'Play God' is a song that recognizes reproductive freedom as a civil rights issue. As a society, it is time to acknowledge that unless a woman is in control of her own reproduction, she is not free, and it is the responsibility of our American government to protect and ensure the freedom of all American citizens. It is time we get serious about addressing and achieving this great unfinished business of civil rights in America. The true emancipation and equality of women is dependent on it."
• The video uses footage from women's rights protests around America that was shot by the Lady Parts Justice organization, which was founded by The Daily Show co-creator Lizz Winstead.