Gloria Steinem Turns 90 After Shaping U.S. Feminism for 6 Decades
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Sep 3
Gloria Steinem Turns 90 After Shaping U.S. Feminism for 6 Decades
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Sep 3
Summary
At 90, Gloria Steinem marked the milestone by reflecting on a career that reshaped U.S. debates on abortion, equal pay, same-sex marriage and women’s political power.
Her influence took off with a 1963 undercover Playboy Bunny exposé and deepened in 1972 when she co-founded Ms. magazine, whose first issue sold out within a week and drew 26,000 subscribers.
Steinem later became a leading abortion-rights campaigner and co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus after the Equal Rights Amendment failed in Congress, helping push women further into public life.
Her prominence also drew decades of backlash—from male critics and pornographer Al Goldstein to disputes within feminism over her glamour, transgender commentary and past defense of Bill Clinton.
Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013, Steinem said in 2024 that she hoped her legacy would help people become “the unique, valuable, loved and lovable person” they want to be.
After Gloria Steinem's passing, how will ongoing state-level legal battles over the expanded Equal Rights Amendment fundamentally reshape constitutional equality?
Beyond her famous undercover expose, what lesser-known institutional strategies of Steinem secretly laid the groundwork for modern intersectional legal rights?
Gloria Steinem (1934–2026): Legacy, Global Impact, and the Future of Feminist Movements
Overview
Gloria Steinem passed away peacefully at her New York home on September 2, 2026, prompting an outpouring of tributes from leaders and activists worldwide. Her foundation encouraged donations to preserve her historic apartment as a future organizing center. Steinem’s lifelong activism was shaped by her grandmother’s legacy of political courage and her own early experiences with family hardship and systemic sexism. Her undercover journalism and time in India inspired her belief in bottom-up, collaborative leadership. Steinem became a champion for reproductive rights and co-founded key organizations, ensuring her vision for equality and collective action will continue to inspire future generations.