Gloria Steinem, the pioneering feminist journalist and co-founder of Ms. magazine, has died aged 92 at her home in New York City.
A statement posted on her official Instagram account said she had “passed away peacefully” on Wednesday, 2 September, surrounded by loved ones. No cause of death was given.
“Gloria’s near-century on earth were years well-lived, and she continued working for equality until the very end,” the statement said.
It described Steinem as someone who remained true to her “independent spirit”, with “curiosity and a great sense of humour”, and praised her ability to make people feel “seen and heard”.
Steinem became one of the most recognisable figures of the 20th-century women’s rights movement, campaigning for reproductive freedom, action against domestic violence and equality in the workplace.
With her distinctive streaked hair and large aviator glasses, she travelled extensively to speak at universities, community centres, rallies and marches. Her influence stretched from grassroots activism to national political debate.
Gloria Steinem’s career in journalism and activism
She began her career as a journalist and drew attention in 1963 with an undercover investigation into working conditions in Hugh Hefner’s Playboy empire. Steinem later said she regretted taking the assignment.
Her direction changed after attending a 1969 meeting at which women spoke openly about abortion rights. Steinem, who had undergone an illegal abortion at the age of 22, later described the gathering as “the beginning of activism” for her.
“Either our control over our own bodies is equal, regardless of sex or race, or we’re not living in a democracy,” she said in 2022, reflecting on the reversal of the US Supreme Court’s Roe v Wade ruling.
Although she became known for her public speaking, Steinem said she had once been deeply afraid of addressing crowds and would have preferred to write about the women’s movement.
“So I ended up going out and speaking, which was my nightmare,” she told the Associated Press in 2015. “I mean, I was terrified. But I’m grateful, even though I still get scared even now.”
Steinem helped establish Ms. magazine in the early 1970s, giving the women’s movement a prominent platform for reporting, political analysis and personal testimony.
Her New York home, where she had lived since 1968, also became a meeting place for activists. Gloria’s Foundation says gatherings held there helped launch Ms., the National Women’s Political Caucus and other social justice organisations.
Steinem’s “Talking Circles” brought people together in person to share experiences and listen to one another. “You can’t do it on the phone or on the web,” she said. “You have to be there with all five senses.”
Gloria’s Foundation said her home would continue to serve as a centre for organising and activism, with her archives preserved as part of the feminist movement’s history.
Steinem remained active well into her 80s, speaking on issues including female genital mutilation, international reconciliation and women’s equality.
“Being a feminist means that you see the world as whole instead of half,” she once said. “It shouldn’t need a name, and one day it won’t.”
