Joe Biden has awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Cecile Richards, the former president of the abortion provider Planned Parenthood.
Biden, who frequently describes himself as a “devout Catholic,” presented Richards with the medal during a private ceremony on Wednesday.
“Carrying her parents’ torch for justice, she’s led some of our Nation’s most important civil rights causes – to lift up the dignity of workers, defend and advance women’s reproductive rights and equality, and mobilize Americans to exercise their power to vote,” Biden reportedly said during the event. He added: “A leader of utmost character, she has carved an inspiring legacy that endures in her incredible family, the countless lives she has made better, and a Nation seeking the light of equality, justice, and freedom.”
Today, I had the honor of awarding Cecile Richards the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
— President Biden (@POTUS) November 20, 2024
With absolute courage, she fearlessly leads us forward to be the America we say we are – a nation of freedom.
Through her work to lift up the dignity of workers, defend and advance women’s… pic.twitter.com/IayCTAFK4N
Richards, the daughter of former Texas Governor Ann Richards, served as Planned Parenthood’s president for 12 years, stepping down in 2018. During her tenure, millions of abortions were performed, ending lives that might otherwise have had a chance to flourish.
After 12 years, I will be stepping down from my position as president of Planned Parenthood this year. pic.twitter.com/L6ttLDjyS1
— Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) January 26, 2018
Earlier this year, Richards revealed she had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, the same condition that claimed the life of Biden’s son, Beau.
Richards has been open about her personal experience with abortion, which she has said shaped her advocacy for reproductive rights. “I had an abortion. It was the right decision for me and my husband, and it wasn’t a difficult decision,” Richards wrote in 2014. She added: “Before becoming president of Planned Parenthood eight years ago, I hadn’t really talked about it beyond family and close friends.”
“But I’m here to say, when politicians argue and shout about abortion, they’re talking about me — and millions of other women around the country,” she stated.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor, reserved for individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to society. In July, Biden awarded the medal to 19 recipients, including former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, former Vice President Al Gore, and women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe.
