Gloria Steinem, the influential journalist and co-founder of Ms. Magazine who became a defining face of the women’s liberation movement during the latter half of the 20th century, has died at age 92. The Gloria Steinem Foundation announced on Thursday that she passed away peacefully at her New York City home, surrounded by loved ones. No cause of death was disclosed.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton paid tribute to Steinem on CBS Mornings, describing her as an architect of women’s equality. Clinton noted that Steinem worked to dismantle the systemic barriers preventing young women from pursuing their potential. She characterized Steinem as an inherent optimist whose activism was a deliberate, daily moral choice.
Steinem rose to prominence in 1971 when Newsweek magazine dubbed her “The New Woman.” Her career was marked by a commitment to challenging the status quo, particularly the prevailing notion that issues affecting women were not matters of serious public concern. By launching Ms. Magazine—the first major publication owned, operated, and written by women—she provided a platform for voices that had been largely excluded from political and social discourse.
Her path to activism began in the late 1960s while working as a reporter for New York magazine. During this time, she attended a consciousness-raising meeting where women shared personal experiences regarding illegal abortions. Steinem later recalled the profound impact of hearing women speak publicly about issues that were previously shrouded in shame and dismissed as trivial because they did not affect men.
This experience helped catalyze the creation of Ms. Magazine, which published its first full issue on July 1, 1972, alongside co-founder Dorothy Pittman Hughes. Despite facing early controversy—including the removal of an issue from newsstands due to a cover depicting a man fondling a doll to illustrate a story on workplace sexual harassment—the magazine became a vital venue for writers such as Alice Walker, Angela Davis, and Barbara Ehrenreich.
Born on March 25, 1934, in Toledo, Ohio, Steinem experienced a nomadic childhood before graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Smith College in 1956. A scholarship later took her to India, but it was a stop in London that proved formative; there, she received medical assistance to obtain an abortion, an experience that would later inform her lifelong advocacy for reproductive freedom.
Her early journalism career in New York City included a notable 1963 undercover exposé for Show magazine, where she worked as a Playboy Bunny at Hugh Hefner’s club. The piece, which detailed the grueling conditions and sexual harassment faced by employees, was a sensation that initially left her concerned about her professional reputation. However, it cemented her role as a reporter willing to expose the hidden realities of women’s lives.
Steinem’s organizational influence extended far beyond the printed page. In 1973, she co-founded the Ms. Foundation for Women to support grassroots efforts, and she was instrumental in establishing the Women’s Action Alliance. She also served as a leader for organizations such as Voters for Choice and Choice USA, consistently pushing for reproductive rights and gender equality.
Throughout her life, Steinem authored numerous books, including “Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions,” “Revolution from Within,” and “An Unexpected Life.” Despite her extensive accomplishments, she remained reflective about her journey. In a 2011 interview with Interview magazine, she expressed regret for the time she spent adhering to established paths rather than fighting for the stories she truly wanted to tell.
Even in her later years, Steinem maintained that the struggle for equality remained unfinished. In a 2006 interview, she observed that while the barriers facing women had shifted, they had not disappeared. She consistently rejected the idea that technological progress alone would guarantee social advancement, emphasizing that the fight for justice required ongoing, intentional effort.
The legacy of Ms. Magazine continues to be recognized, notably in the 2023 anthology “50 Years of Ms.: The Best of the Pathfinding Magazine That Ignited a Revolution,” compiled by executive editor Katherine Spillar. The publication underwent various ownership changes over the decades, including a period under a female-led consortium, but it remained a cornerstone of feminist media.
Steinem’s life was defined by her ability to bridge the gap between personal experience and political action. Whether through her reporting on the “nylons in the newsroom” or her tireless advocacy for domestic safety and economic justice, she remained a steadfast voice for the inclusion and representation of women and girls worldwide. The report also notes that she was one of the architects of the entire structure of women’s equality, I mean tearing down those obstacles to young women being able to participate where their talents and hard work took them,” former U.S. The report also notes that and in the halls of power — by fighting for voting rights and promoting female candidates for office, steinem was a tireless advocate for women’s voices in politics — at the ballot box. The report also notes that and a simple idea, Take Our Daughters to Work Day, begun by the Ms. The report also notes that would become a global endeavor encompassing millions of daughters (and sons) as it fought gender stereotypes, foundation for Women to advance opportunities in the workplace. The report also notes that she told “Sunday Morning” in 2006, “I heard women standing up and saying in public and taking seriously something that only affected women. The report also notes that up until then, I’d never heard that. The report also notes that and suddenly I thought, ‘Wait a minute: You know, if one and three or four of us, and I too, had had that experience, why is it illegal?’ And that was the beginning of the unraveling. The report also notes that the issue featured a petition signed by women of various backgrounds announcing that they had had an abortion and were demanding that it become safe and legal, in addition to having Wonder Woman on its cover.
Source: CBS News
