Gloria Steinem, the pioneering journalist and activist who became one of the most recognizable voices of the modern women’s movement, has died at the age of 92. For more than half a century, Steinem challenged entrenched ideas about gender and power, helping bring the fight for women’s equality from the margins of American life into the mainstream. Jeffrey Brown has this remembrance.
Born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1934, Steinem overcame a tumultuous childhood, which included her parents' divorce and taking care of her mother for many years. She graduated from Smith College in the late 1950s and soon moved to New York to begin a career as a freelance journalist. As a young writer, she famously went undercover as a Playboy Bunny for "Show" magazine, exposing exploitation and sexual harassment.
She became a columnist for "New York" magazine and established herself as a leader of second-wave feminism with thoughtful and often pointed commentary. She also covered the fight for abortion rights, a topic that hit close to home, as she told the "News Hour" in 2019. Steinem co-founded "Ms." magazine in the early '70s, which tackled topics like sexism, harassment, and equal pay, and became a significant platform for the women’s liberation movement.
As a political activist, she worked to elect women to office and was a co-founder of the National Women's Political Caucus, traveling the country to speak out against sexism and economic exploitation. Throughout her life, Steinem remained a prolific writer, bestselling author, and prominent public speaker, advocating for women's rights internationally and campaigning for Democratic candidates.
Steinem condemned the Dobbs decision in 2022, which overturned abortion rights. She emphasized the ongoing struggle for women's rights, stating, "We still don't fully have the right to our own bodies. Many women are still subject to bodily invasion at a rate far exceeding that of men."
Steinem faced criticism during her career, including a notable falling out with Betty Friedan, another prominent figure in the movement. Despite this, she maintained that her work was part of a larger struggle for equality. Tributes have poured in from notable figures, including Oprah Winfrey, Jill Biden, and Hillary Clinton, who recognized her contributions to women's equality.
In a 2015 interview, Steinem advised young women to listen to themselves and pursue their passions. She stated, "You're not more important than somebody else, but you're not less important either."