Photo by Aiden Frazier on Unsplash
Cecile Richards, former Planned Parenthood president and life-long feminist activist, passed away Monday, January 20, from brain cancer at 67. Richards was a leader in progressive politics for decades and was most known for cementing Planned Parenthood as a political powerhouse during contentious right-wing attacks leading up to and during the first Trump presidency. She stepped down as president of Planned Parenthood in 2017 and focused her efforts on leading Supermajority, an organization she co-founded to mobilize female voters.
Richards was a devoted activist her entire life. Here are some of her greatest achievements:
- Richards was born in Waco, Texas as the eldest daughter of Ann Richards, the 45th Texas governor who served from 1991 to 1995. Richards was politically outspoken from a young age and was disciplined in her public school for protesting the Vietnam War by wearing a black armband. After graduating from Brown University, Richards became a labor organizer for service workers. She served in organizations such as the Ford Foundation, America Votes and the Texas Freedom Network.
- Richards served as the president of Planned Parenthood from 2006-2018. During her time as president, she tripled the number of Planned Parenthood supporters to 11 million and made the organization easily accessible through the web, which allowed people to find local health centers.
- In 2010, Richards placed Planned Parenthood behind the Affordable Care Act, which expanded access to sexual and reproductive healthcare. While the final bill did not pass, it expanded birth control access without copay for 64 million women.
- In 2010, Richards received the Puffin/Nation Prize for Creative Citizenship and in 2012, she was named Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. This past November, Richards was awarded the presidential Medal of Freedom from former president Joe Biden.
- In 2013, Texas made big cuts to its state women’s health program and was about to shut down all five abortion providers in the state. However, Richards, as well as other Planned Parenthood leaders and Sen. Wendy Davis, filibustered the bill for 11 hours, successfully blocking its passage and protecting access to reproductive healthcare.
- In 2015, anti-abortion group Center for Medical Progress, accused Planned Parenthood of selling fetal body parts by releasing “secretly-recorded videos.” Planned Parenthood proved that the videos were edited to be purposefully misleading. Richards testified in court and garnered more public support for the abortion rights movement.
- In 2017, Trump pushed Congress to overturn the Affordable Care Act which would have blocked Medicaid patients from receiving Planned Parenthood care, so Richards fought back with weekly rallies at the Capitol and reminded the country about what would be at stake if access to Planned Parenthood was denied.
- In 2019, Richards helped found the political action group, Supermajority, to build women’s political power and turn women into an influential voting bloc.
Cecile Richards leaves behind a legacy of fearless advocacy, unwavering dedication to women’s rights, and a lifetime of fighting for equality. Her impact will continue to inspire generations to come. Rest in power.