'Horrifically symbolic': US Feminists mourn the death of women's rights icon Cecile Richards
Sarah K. Burris
January 20, 2025
RAW STORY
Cecile Richards, former President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, speaking at a women's roundtable at Hillary for Minnesota Headquarters in St Paul, MN (Photo by Lorie Shaull/Flickr)
On the eve of Donald Trump's second presidency, longtime women's rights activist Cecile Richards passed away after a fight with brain cancer.
Richards was the daughter of with former Texas governor Ann Richards, a powerhouse in Democratic politics who ended her time as governor mocking the intellect of George W. Bush. She and Cecile Richards then became a kind of double threat in the fight for women's rights. Richards took over Planned Parenthood in 2006 and battled the "war on women."
In a post from her family on social media, they remembered Richard saying about the impending Trump presidency: “It’s not hard to imagine future generations one day asking: ‘When there was so much at stake for our country, what did you do?’ The only acceptable answer is: ‘Everything we could.'"
Cecile Richards, former President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, speaking at a women's roundtable at Hillary for Minnesota Headquarters in St Paul, MN (Photo by Lorie Shaull/Flickr)
On the eve of Donald Trump's second presidency, longtime women's rights activist Cecile Richards passed away after a fight with brain cancer.
Richards was the daughter of with former Texas governor Ann Richards, a powerhouse in Democratic politics who ended her time as governor mocking the intellect of George W. Bush. She and Cecile Richards then became a kind of double threat in the fight for women's rights. Richards took over Planned Parenthood in 2006 and battled the "war on women."
In a post from her family on social media, they remembered Richard saying about the impending Trump presidency: “It’s not hard to imagine future generations one day asking: ‘When there was so much at stake for our country, what did you do?’ The only acceptable answer is: ‘Everything we could.'"
It was a comment that moved MSNBC host Alecia Menendez, and she cited the quote on BlueSky, saying, "Rest well."
"She was an amazing woman. This was taken at the DNC in Chicago this year. Cecile fought for women’s rights. Hard. Millions of women benefited from her courage and determination. Cecile Richards made her mom proud. RIP," said former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) on BlueSky.
MSNBC host Joy Reid similarly expressed her heartbreak, "So sad to hear that Cecile Richards has passed at just 67 years old. She was a fighter and a stalwart for the rights of women, just like her mom. Thankfully she lived to see a president affirm the #equalrightsamendment as the 28th Amendment."
"Cecile Richards dying on the day of Trump's inauguration feels horrifically symbolic," said features editor and writer Alisha Grauso.
"Oh my God. Cecile Richards was from Waco, Texas. My hometown. She’s with her mother Ann, now. You fought for your state and your country. May her memory be a blessing," said Texas criminal defense attorney Sara Spector.
Texan Matthew Dowd recalled his longtime friendship with Richards, saying, "oh dang, so sad news. my good friend Cecile Richards has passed away. Have known her since 1986, and helped her in 1990 to elect her mom as Governor of Texas. The last governor of Texas who cared about all Texans. RIP Cecile. We will miss you."
"Cecile Richard’s was a warrior for women’s rights, but also incredibly kind and generous with her mentorship and advice. As a former Texan, I revered Cecile and her mother, Ann Richards, and getting to know Cecile was the honor of a lifetime," said Shannon Watts of Mom's Demand Action.
"I am so deeply saddened by the news of our dear friend, @CecileRichards , passing. She was a light, a champion, a force for good. As her family says below - to honor her legacy and life, let’s do everything we can in this moment to create the just world that everyone deserves. Rest in power dear friend," former Texas state senator and feminist Wendy Davis said.
"As if today wasn’t bad enough, the passing of Cecile Richards, former Planned Parenthood leader, is beyond tragic for all women in US. Her powerful voice for women’s freedom has been silenced. Rest in power, dear friend," said former Congresswoman Jackie Speier on X.
Cecile Richards, Reproductive Rights Champion Who Led Planned Parenthood, Dies at 67
"To honor her legacy and life, let's do everything we can in this moment to create the just world that everyone deserves," said former Texas lawmaker Wendy Davis.
Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, speaks to New York State Planned Parenthood advocates during a rally at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center on March 13, 2018 in Albany, New York.
(Photo: John Carl D'Annibale /Albany Times Union via Getty Images)
In their statement, Richards' family asked that supporters who wish to honor her listen to "some New Orleans jazz, gather with friends and family over a good meal, and remember something she said a lot over the last year: It's not hard to imagine future generations one day asking, 'When there was so much at stake for our country, what did you do?'"
"The only acceptable answer is: Everything we could."
"To honor her legacy and life, let's do everything we can in this moment to create the just world that everyone deserves," said former Texas lawmaker Wendy Davis.
Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, speaks to New York State Planned Parenthood advocates during a rally at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center on March 13, 2018 in Albany, New York.
(Photo: John Carl D'Annibale /Albany Times Union via Getty Images)
Julia Conley
Jan 20, 2025
COMMON DREAMS
Cecile Richards, the former president of Planned Parenthood and longtime champion of women's rights and other progressive causes, died on Monday at the age of 67. The cause was an aggressive brain cancer that had been diagnosed in 2023.
Richards' husband and three children confirmed her death in a statement posted on social media.
Richards, the daughter of forner Democratic Texas Gov. Ann Richards, had an early introduction to progressive politics. At 16 she worked on a campaign to elect Sarah Waddington, the lawyer who argued in favor of abortion rights before the U.S. Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade, and in college she helped push Brown University to divest from companies that supported apartheid in South Africa.
After years of labor organizing work, Richards became the president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She sat at the helm of the organization for 12 years, leading it as it became more vocal in electoral politics and fought state-level battles against abortion restrictions.
She was the national face of the organization and spoke frequently on its behalf at political events and galas, but also stood shoulder-to-shoulder with abortion rights supporters at pivotal moments in the fight against right-wing efforts to attack reproductive justice.
In 2013, after then-Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis (D-10) made national headlines by spending 13 hours filibustering an omnibus bill that contained a host of anti-abortion measures, Richards rallied supporters in the state Capitol to yell loud enough to halt the Senate debate over the legislation—a move that Republican lawmakers later blamed for the bill's failure.
"That was vital," Dave Cortez of Occupy Austin toldThe Texas Tribune. "Her support really helped put it all together."
Davis called Richards "a light, a champion, a force for good" on Monday.
Calling her death "a heartbreaking loss," Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said the former Planned Parenthood leader "spent her life on the front lines, fighting for women's rights throughout this country."
After leaving Planned Parenthood in 2018, Richards co-founded the progressive political mobilization group Supermajority and toured the nation speaking out against President Donald Trump's nomination of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
She also cofounded the chatbot Charley, which connects people seeking abortion care with reproductive health organizations, and Abortion in America, a project that publishes the personal stories of people who have obtained abortions since the Supreme Court overturned Roe in 2022.
"The only thing people respond to and remember are stories," Richards told The New York Times last October. "We have to figure out: How do you catch the attention of people that, even if they could find the article, don't have 20 minutes to read it?"
Richards' death was announced just hours before Trump, who has bragged about his role in overturning Roe and mocked the family of one woman who died after being unable to receive standard care under Georgia's abortion ban, was to be sworn in for his second term in office.
"As if today wasn't bad enough, the passing of Cecile Richards, former Planned Parenthood leader, is beyond tragic for all women in U.S," said former Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.). "Her powerful voice for women's freedom has been silenced. Rest in power, dear friend."
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said Richards "modeled guts and grit in public service, showing courage and fortitude beyond words as a champion of women's reproductive freedom."
Jan 20, 2025
COMMON DREAMS
Cecile Richards, the former president of Planned Parenthood and longtime champion of women's rights and other progressive causes, died on Monday at the age of 67. The cause was an aggressive brain cancer that had been diagnosed in 2023.
Richards' husband and three children confirmed her death in a statement posted on social media.
Richards, the daughter of forner Democratic Texas Gov. Ann Richards, had an early introduction to progressive politics. At 16 she worked on a campaign to elect Sarah Waddington, the lawyer who argued in favor of abortion rights before the U.S. Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade, and in college she helped push Brown University to divest from companies that supported apartheid in South Africa.
After years of labor organizing work, Richards became the president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She sat at the helm of the organization for 12 years, leading it as it became more vocal in electoral politics and fought state-level battles against abortion restrictions.
She was the national face of the organization and spoke frequently on its behalf at political events and galas, but also stood shoulder-to-shoulder with abortion rights supporters at pivotal moments in the fight against right-wing efforts to attack reproductive justice.
In 2013, after then-Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis (D-10) made national headlines by spending 13 hours filibustering an omnibus bill that contained a host of anti-abortion measures, Richards rallied supporters in the state Capitol to yell loud enough to halt the Senate debate over the legislation—a move that Republican lawmakers later blamed for the bill's failure.
"That was vital," Dave Cortez of Occupy Austin toldThe Texas Tribune. "Her support really helped put it all together."
Davis called Richards "a light, a champion, a force for good" on Monday.
Calling her death "a heartbreaking loss," Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said the former Planned Parenthood leader "spent her life on the front lines, fighting for women's rights throughout this country."
After leaving Planned Parenthood in 2018, Richards co-founded the progressive political mobilization group Supermajority and toured the nation speaking out against President Donald Trump's nomination of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
She also cofounded the chatbot Charley, which connects people seeking abortion care with reproductive health organizations, and Abortion in America, a project that publishes the personal stories of people who have obtained abortions since the Supreme Court overturned Roe in 2022.
"The only thing people respond to and remember are stories," Richards told The New York Times last October. "We have to figure out: How do you catch the attention of people that, even if they could find the article, don't have 20 minutes to read it?"
Richards' death was announced just hours before Trump, who has bragged about his role in overturning Roe and mocked the family of one woman who died after being unable to receive standard care under Georgia's abortion ban, was to be sworn in for his second term in office.
"As if today wasn't bad enough, the passing of Cecile Richards, former Planned Parenthood leader, is beyond tragic for all women in U.S," said former Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.). "Her powerful voice for women's freedom has been silenced. Rest in power, dear friend."
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said Richards "modeled guts and grit in public service, showing courage and fortitude beyond words as a champion of women's reproductive freedom."
In their statement, Richards' family asked that supporters who wish to honor her listen to "some New Orleans jazz, gather with friends and family over a good meal, and remember something she said a lot over the last year: It's not hard to imagine future generations one day asking, 'When there was so much at stake for our country, what did you do?'"
"The only acceptable answer is: Everything we could."
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