Gloria Steinem, Journalist & Women’s Movement Activist, Dies at 92

Gloria Steinem, the renowned activist and journalist who helped lead the second-wave feminism in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s, has died. She was 92.

“Yesterday, Gloria Steinem passed away peacefully at her home in New York City, surrounded by some of the many who loved her,” read a joint statement on Steinem’s Instagram and the Gloria Foundation page. “Gloria’s near-century on earth were years well-lived, and she continued working for equality until the very end.”

The statement continued, “Gloria’s greatest gift was her ability to listen to others, to make others feel seen and heard. Her words, actions, and example gave people permission to be their truest selves. Gloria lived true to her independent spirit, always with curiosity and a great sense of humor.”

“Gloria loved the tradition of lighting signal fires on hills to light the way to the other side of the mountain. Lighting your own candle for Gloria makes you part of this global and celestial community circle,” the post concluded. “In lieu of flowers, Gloria has asked that those wishing to honor her with a gift, may make a donation to Gloria’s Foundation.”

 

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Born on March 25, 1934, in Toledo, Ohio, Steinem had a difficult childhood following her parents’ divorce. As a child, she took care of her mother, who suffered from mental health issues, and didn’t attend school full-time until she was 12 years old.

After graduating from Smith College, Steinem spent two years in India as a Chester Bowles Asian Fellow. During her time in India, she helped women organize non-violent protests against various government policies, sparking her interest in activism.

Once she returned to the U.S., she was hired as the first employee of Help! magazine. She went on to write for a number of publications, with her big break coming after going undercover as a Playboy Bunny to expose working conditions. Steinem eventually landed a job at New York Magazine in 1968 before co-founding the feminist magazine Ms. in 1972.

Throughout her journalism career, Steinem continued her activism, advocating for the Equal Rights Amendment and protesting against the South African apartheid system, which saw her arrested outside the South African embassy.

Rose Byrne portrayed her on screen in the 2020 FX historical miniseries Mrs. America. That same year, her life story was depicted in the biopic The Glorias, featuring Julianne Moore, Alicia Vikander, and others portraying Steinem over 80 years of her life.

She also appeared on-screen herself, including episodes of The L Word, The Good Wife, and, more recently, And Just Like That. Last year, Steinem appeared in Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print, an HBO documentary focusing on the history of Ms.

Former President Barack Obama awarded Steinem the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013. “She’s been called a ‘champion noticer.’ She’s alert to all the ways, large and small, that women had been and, in some cases, continue to be treated unfairly just because they’re women,” Obama said during the ceremony.

In recent years, Steinem worked alongside Meghan Markle, including a 2020 campaign to encourage people to vote.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Ruth and Leo Steinem; her sister, Susanne Steinem Patch; and her husband, David Bale.