Gloria Steinem personified America’s feminist movement
The activist made the movement mainstream – and became a receptacle for its hopes and disappointments
TL;DR
- Gloria Steinem, a central figure in the feminist movement, died at 92.
- Her early life in Ohio was marked by poverty and her mother's mental illness, with immediate concerns overshadowing the women's suffrage movement.
- Experiences such as an illegal abortion in London and witnessing an "abortion speak-out" radicalized her views on women's reproductive rights.
- Steinem became a highly visible face of the second-wave feminist movement, utilizing her journalistic skills and public persona to advance the cause.
- She launched Ms. magazine in 1972, bringing the women's liberation movement to newsstands across America.
- Steinem also actively campaigned to make feminism a significant force within the Democratic party.
- Her public image lent feminism allure and mass appeal, though she aimed to direct attention to broader visions of justice.
- Steinem's persona became a focal point for both the achievements and failures of feminism, facing criticism and praise for her representation of the movement.
- She was known for her coalition-building efforts and for being an uncommonly gracious opponent within the movement's internal disagreements.
- The article notes a current "precipitous retreat" of the feminist movement, with grassroots energy diminished and organized feminism largely confined to liberal NGOs facing persecution.
- Without Steinem, the task of rebuilding the feminist movement is presented as more difficult.