Gloria Steinem, Feminist Icon and Co-Founder of Ms. Magazine, Dies at 92

Gloria Steinem, a celebrated author, activist, and a leading figure in the U.S. women's movement, has died at the age of 92. Her death was announced via social media posts from her and her foundation.

Known for her distinctive style, including her trademark streaked hair and aviator glasses, Steinem was a highly recognizable presence who spent much of her life traveling and speaking at colleges, community centers, rallies, and marches. She co-founded Ms. Magazine, which continues to be published today by the Feminist Majority Foundation.

Steinem began her career as a journalist, famously reporting undercover on the conditions within Hugh Hefner's Playboy empire in 1963. A pivotal moment in her life occurred six years later when she attended a women's speak-out in favor of abortion rights. This event, she said, marked the beginning of her activism. Having undergone a secret illegal abortion herself at age 22, Steinem later reflected that "Either our control over our own bodies is equal, regardless of sex or race, or we're not living in a democracy."

Despite an initial fear of public speaking, Steinem became a powerful orator, driven by her passion for women's equality. She often stated, "Being a feminist means that you see the world as whole instead of half. It shouldn’t need a name, and one day it won’t."

Throughout her life, Steinem remained an active global advocate, addressing issues ranging from genital mutilation to Korean reconciliation, with a primary focus on gender equality. Even into her 80s, she continued to travel and engage with important causes. Her life and work were the subject of the 2020 feature film "The Glorias: A Life on The Road," based on her 2015 memoir.

Steinem also collaborated on a picture book with Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, published in February, aimed at inspiring young people. Despite her visibility and accomplishments, she sometimes expressed frustration that her message was overshadowed by descriptions of her appearance. "Nobody ever called me beautiful until I was publicly a feminist, and that was in my mid-30s," she told the AP in 2011. "It was clear that label was being assigned to me. The most hurtful part is that you work very hard, and people say it’s because of your looks."

She encountered hostility throughout her career, including from public figures like President Richard Nixon, who was recorded ridiculing her and the "Ms." title. Steinem's sharp wit was evident in her response, calling Nixon "the most sexually insecure chief of state since Napoleon."

Steinem was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013 by President Barack Obama, who stated that her work "changed how women thought about themselves."

Born March 25, 1934, in Toledo, Ohio, Steinem spent her early years traveling with her antique salesperson father. Her parents divorced in 1944, leaving her to care for her mother, a former journalist who had suffered a nervous breakdown. After attending Smith College, Steinem traveled to India on a fellowship before settling in Manhattan.

Initially, editors were reluctant to assign her political pieces, offering her assignments on fashion and food. She also recounted experiences of sexual harassment, noting that "There was no word for sexual harassment then; it was just life."

Her work as a Playboy Bunny, an undercover assignment for Show magazine, proved personally and professionally difficult and was later used to ridicule her. However, by her 30s, Steinem joined the editorial board of New York magazine, and her writing became more political. The 1969 abortion rights hearing, where she revealed her own past abortion, became a catalyst for her career as a women's rights activist.

In 1971, Steinem co-founded the National Women's Political Caucus with Betty Friedan, Shirley Chisholm, and Bella Abzug. She also partnered with Black feminist and child welfare advocate Dorothy Pitman Hughes, with their iconic photograph featuring them raising their right arms in a Black Power salute.

Steinem co-founded several organizations, including the Women's Action Alliance, the Women's Media Center, Voters for Choice, and the Ms. Foundation for Women. She also helped establish Take Our Daughters to Work Day.

In 2000, at age 66, Steinem married British activist and businessman David Bale. They were married in a Cherokee ceremony in Oklahoma, and she cared for him until his death in 2003.

Steinem's memoir, "A Life on the Road," published in 2015, humorously noted that she never learned to drive, preferring to converse with those who drove her. Her presence at the 2017 Women's March in Washington, where she was a keynote speaker, underscored her enduring influence.

Reflecting on her legacy, Steinem often emphasized the importance of self-discovery for younger generations, stating, "The primary thing is not that they know who I am, but that they know who THEY are."