Joe Biden and the Biden Administration

Profiles in Courage: The Men and Women Who Defended the Capitol on Jan. 6 Stood Their Ground on Democracy’s Darkest Day

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Profiles in Courage is a Ms. series honoring the extraordinary women and men who have transformed American institutions through principled public service. At a time when trust in government is fragile, these stories offer a powerful reminder of what ethical leadership looks like.

On Jan. 6, 2021, a mob unleashed chaos and destruction, attacking officers with metal pipes, chemical irritants and other makeshift weapons. Their goal was clear: force their way inside, inflict damage and disrupt the certification of the 2020 presidential election.

More than 50 United States Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department officers were injured, with several hospitalized due to the severity of their wounds. In the face of extreme violence and insurmountable odds, their heroic actions prevented an even greater catastrophe.

Profiles in Courage: In Defense of Fired Federal Workers, Cathy Harris Took on the Trump Administration—And Won

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Profiles in Courage is a new series honoring the extraordinary women and men who have transformed American institutions through principled public service. At a time when trust in government is fragile, these stories offer a powerful reminder of what ethical leadership looks like—from those who litigate for civil rights and resign on principle, to those who break military barriers and defend democracy on the front lines.

As chair and board member of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), Cathy Harris dedicated her leadership to preserving the independence and integrity of the federal civil service, ensuring that government employees are hired, promoted and protected based on merit—not politics.

On President Donald Trump’s first day back in office in 2025, Harris was demoted from her role as chair, and just weeks later, she was fired entirely from the board—a direct violation of the Civil Service Reform Act. Determined to defend the independence of the board and the rights of federal employees, Harris sued the administration … and won.

‘Grace Under Pressure’: A Look Back on the Late Cecile Richards

Cecile Richards, who transformed Planned Parenthood as its longtime president, died early in the morning on Jan. 20 at the implausibly young age of 67. America lost one of its most audacious and charismatic defenders of women’s health and rights just when we needed her most— hours before the inauguration of Donald Trump, whose first-term appointees to the Supreme Court gutted the constitutional protection of abortion rights and whose second term imperils the rights of women in additional myriad ways.

(This article originally appears in the Spring 2025 issue of Ms. Join the Ms. community today and you’ll get issues delivered straight to your mailbox.)

Trump’s $20 Problem: What Harriet Tubman’s Absence Tells Us About Power and Prejudice

An excerpt from Jill Elaine Hasday’s latest book, We the Men:

“From the start, women mobilizing for equality have endeavored to enrich and expand America’s dominant stories about itself. But attempts to focus public memory on women have repeatedly faced determined and protracted opposition, for generations and to the present day. 

“Consider the opposition to placing Harriet Tubman’s image on the $20 bill.”

Thousands of U.S. Women Are Killed Each Year. Where’s the Outrage?

A spate of 11 femicides in Italy so far this year is making global headlines and prompting calls for “cultural rebellion.”  Yet femicide is far worse in the U.S., claiming thousands of lives a year, and comparatively normalized. It’s where the cultural pushback is needed most.

Last month, the U.N.’s annual two-week Conference on the Status of Women wrapped up in New York, having barely addressed growing threats of gender-based violence and without acknowledging the elephant in the room: how Trump administration policy swerves threaten to undo decades of progress for women, including women in the U.S.

Rearming Domestic Abusers: Trump’s New Gun Policy Threatens Women Across the Country

President Donald Trump restored gun rights to his friend Mel Gibson, who admitted to abusing his girlfriend. In a reality where domestic abusers are armed, women will suffer most.

—A gun in a domestic violence situation makes a woman five times more likely to be killed.
—Homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant and postpartum women, with 68 percent of those homicides involving firearms.
—Black women face higher rates of intimate partner violence and are more likely than white women to be fatally shot.
—Forty-one percent of perpetrators in mass shootings between 2016 and 2020 had a history of domestic violence.

So why would any administration push policies that arm abusers? As always, follow the money. 

Cutting the Workforce at HHS Undermines the Social Safety Net. Families and Kids Will Suffer the Most.

The Administration for Children and Families plays a quiet but crucial role in upholding the American social safety net—administering billions in federal funds to programs that support children, families, and vulnerable communities. But devastating cuts to ACF staff and offices threaten to unravel this lifeline, with immediate consequences already surfacing.

Without experienced civil servants to oversee grants, answer questions and approve disbursements, the very programs meant to catch people in crisis are being pushed to the brink. And in the long term, it’s families and kids who will pay the highest price.

‘Silence Is an Enemy’: Rep. Frankel Leads the Fight for Global Reproductive Rights

The Global HER Act, led by Rep. Lois Frankel, aims to permanently repeal the global gag rule, which restricts funding for international healthcare providers that offer or even discuss abortion services—jeopardizing reproductive care for millions worldwide.

“They’re gagging you, they’re putting something over your mouth to prevent you from giving information. … Silence is an enemy,” Frankel told Ms. “And so, we cannot be silent. … One of the ways that we talk is with a bill.”