Gloria Steinem, a pioneering co-founder of Ms. Magazine and a significant advocate for the women’s liberation movement during the latter part of the 20th century, has passed away at the age of 92.
In a social media announcement on Thursday, the Gloria Steinem Foundation revealed that she “passed away peacefully at her home in New York City, surrounded by some of the many who loved her.” The specific cause of her death has not yet been disclosed.
The post highlighted a quote from Steinem’s upcoming book, 𝘈𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦, stating, “I have now lived for more than fifty years in this brownstone, in rooms that have witnessed lives before mine, and will know others after I am gone.” It emphasized her commitment to her home as a hub for social justice movements, expressing hope that her contributions would have lasting impacts for future generations.
Recognized by Newsweek in 1971 as “The New Woman,” Steinem was instrumental in founding Ms. Magazine, which became the first significant publication created, managed, and written by women. The magazine played a crucial role in advocating for equal rights, raising awareness on various issues concerning inclusion, media representation, and social justice that affected women and girls, especially at a time when political discourse and consumer culture were increasingly intertwined. As a journalist, Steinem shattered the misconception that “women’s issues” were solely women’s concerns, asserting that women’s voices were essential in political and military discussions.
Steinem relentlessly championed women’s representation in politics, advocating for voting rights and supporting female candidates. She promoted economic and social justice for women and girls, including the right to reproductive freedom and protection from domestic violence, while also working to elevate women’s roles in media. One of her notable initiatives, Take Our Daughters to Work Day, launched by the Ms. Foundation for Women, became a global campaign aimed at breaking down gender stereotypes and creating workplace opportunities for millions of children.
In her early career as a journalist at New York magazine during the late 1960s, Steinem attended a meeting where women shared their experiences with illegal abortions. Reflecting on this moment in a 2006 interview with “Sunday Morning,” she recounted how hearing women publicly discuss what had previously been a taboo subject sparked her realization about the importance of these issues. This led her to question the legality and societal perceptions surrounding abortion, marking the beginning of her awakening to women’s rights.
This newfound consciousness ultimately contributed to the creation of Ms. Magazine. Co-founded with activist Dorothy Pittman Hughes, the magazine’s inaugural issue hit newsstands on July 1, 1972. It featured a cover with Wonder Woman and included a petition from women of diverse backgrounds declaring their abortion experiences and demanding safe and legal access to such procedures, a year prior to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Roe v. Wade.
Katherine Spillar, executive editor of Ms., noted in a 2023 anthology titled “50 Years of Ms.: The Best of the Pathfinding Magazine That Ignited a Revolution” that the magazine played a pivotal role in igniting discussions on various societal issues, including relationships, parenting, politics, and violence against women. She emphasized that this demonstrated both the persistence of the feminist movement and the ongoing resistance it faced.
The magazine did encounter controversies, such as a cover photo related to workplace sexual harassment that led to its removal from newsstands. Securing advertising was also challenging, as some companies expressed reluctance to target a female readership, believing they were not lucrative consumers.
Despite these hurdles, Ms. Magazine continued to thrive, earning accolades and publishing influential pieces from prominent writers including Barbara Ehrenreich, Angela Davis, Alice Walker, Susan Faludi, and others. The publication navigated evolving feminist ideologies while facing criticism from both conservative commentators, who argued it undermined traditional family values, and some left-leaning critics, who felt it lacked sufficient diversity in perspectives.
Steinem remarked that as the women’s liberation movement gained momentum, the term “feminism” became a source of fear for many, resulting from both misunderstanding and a conscious recognition of its implications.
Starting in the 1980s, Ms. Magazine changed ownership multiple times, including a period of ad-free publication, and eventually transitioned to a quarterly format. Throughout these changes, the status of women in America evolved; in 1972, only 10% of doctors, 4% of lawyers, and 1% of engineers were women, compared to 38%, 41%, and 16% respectively five decades later.
However, Steinem asserted that the fight for gender equality is ongoing. In a 2006 interview, she stated, “There’s a barrier that has moved, but there’s still a barrier,” highlighting the progress made in employment opportunities yet acknowledging persistent inequalities that remain. She expressed optimism about the advancements achieved, while also recognizing that challenges still exist.
Despite criticisms of the term “feminism” since the 1960s, Steinem expressed in a 2015 interview that she believed the fundamental principles of feminism are largely accepted today, encouraging individuals to refer to the dictionary for a clear understanding.
