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Feminist icon Gloria Steinem dies at 92

From PBS NewsHour · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire Named sources Outcome reported
  • Gloria Steinem, the author, activist and co-founder of Ms. Magazine, died at her home in New York City at age 92.
  • She became one of the most recognizable leaders of the U.S. women’s movement through decades of writing, public speaking and organizing.
  • Steinem linked her activism to abortion rights and equality, drawing on experiences that included a secret illegal abortion at age 22.

Gloria Steinem, whose center-parted hair and aviator glasses made her instantly recognizable, spent decades carrying the U.S. women’s movement into lecture halls, community centers, rallies and marches. The celebrated author and activist died Wednesday at her home in New York City at 92, according to posts from her and her foundation’s social media accounts.

Gloria’s greatest gift was her ability to listen to others, to make others feel seen and heard.

· Gloria Steinem and her foundationThe statement announced Steinem’s death and reflected on her influence.

“Gloria’s greatest gift was her ability to listen to others, to make others feel seen and heard,” the posts said. They described her as someone whose words, actions and example allowed people to be their truest selves. In recent years, Steinem continued writing and spending time in her community. She also hosted talking circles for hundreds of people at her home.

Her death came shortly before the planned release of a memoir this fall. In a 2015 interview with The Associated Press, she argued that meaningful human connection requires physical presence: “You have to be there with all five senses.” She said people could not empathize with one another unless they were in the same room.

You have to be there with all five senses.

· Gloria SteinemShe explained why in-person contact was necessary for empathy.

Steinem began as a journalist. In 1963, she reported undercover on degrading conditions inside Hugh Hefner’s Playboy empire, an assignment she later regretted. A meeting six years later, where women spoke openly in favor of abortion rights, changed the direction of her career. Steinem had undergone a secret illegal abortion herself at 22. Reflecting on the reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022, she said, “Either our control over our own bodies is equal, regardless of sex or race, or we’re not living in a democracy.”

Either our control over our own bodies is equal, regardless of sex or race, or we’re not living in a democracy.

· Gloria SteinemShe discussed abortion rights and the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

She became a prominent activist despite a deep fear of public speaking. Editors had shown little interest in publishing her writing about the women’s movement, she said, so she began speaking publicly instead. “I was terrified,” Steinem told the AP in 2015. “But I’m grateful, even though I still get scared even now.”

I was terrified. But I’m grateful, even though I still get scared even now.

· Gloria SteinemShe described overcoming her fear of public speaking.
About this summary

Originally published by PBS NewsHour. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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