Who Was Gloria Steinem?
A leading American figure in the second wave of feminism in Europe and the United States—and more specifically, in the women’s liberation movement of the late 20th century—Gloria Steinem passed away on September 2, 2026.
A journalist, activist, and editor-in-chief—and the founder of her own organization, the Gloria’s Foundation—she spent most of her childhood on the road. In the years leading up to her parents’ divorce, Gloria watched as her father drove the family across the United States in a trailer. Steinem did not attend regular school until she was 12 years old, and she would carry this love of travel with her for the rest of her life. After graduating from Smith College in 1956, she left for India at the age of 22 on a scholarship.
Once there, she found herself involved in various ways: she took part in nonviolent protests against certain policies of the Indian government and traveled across the country using public transportation, which led her to decide never to get her driver’s license, as a statement against individual mobility.
1960–1980: The Second Wave of Feminism in the West and the Women’s Liberation Movement
Feminism has not been a single, unbroken movement. By the end of the 19th century, women were already protesting the fact that women were unable to participate in political, social, and cultural debates in the West. This first wave of feminism lasted until the first half of the 20th century, driven by the ideals of the Revolution, human rights, and the concept of equal rights. The first wave of feminism was part of a movement of thought aligned with the Enlightenment; it served as its concrete continuation.
The second wave of feminism, which began around 1965, would bring to light new issues rooted in deeper, more ancestral wounds. While the first wave of feminism focused on women’s political and civic roles—particularly the issue of the right to vote—this new wave of feminism expanded its struggle to the intimate and private sphere. For the first time, it was argued that everyday inequalities stem from systemic power relations—that is, what has long since been termed patriarchy.
Gloria Steinem, a white American woman, then reaches out to other minority groups of women—those of color and from different economic backgrounds. The feminist struggle is no longer merely a general issue of citizenship; it is a matter of acknowledging the individuality of each woman’s experiences, as all women are affected, each in her own way, and with her own challenges.
Today, the issue of women of color within the feminist movement, for example, remains a persistent one. Steinem raised this issue long before X and Instagram.
In France, a parallel can be drawn with Simone Veil and the struggle for abortion rights. In this era of second-wave feminism, it is important to recognize that the body belongs to the person who inhabits it. We are not so much fighting against a group—that of men—as we are fighting against a system—that of patriarchy.
As Gloria herself puts it in her response to the question:
"What is more difficult for women today?"
"Patriarchy and racism."
She will always view patriarchy and racism as twin forms of oppression, exerting a similar and combined systemic oppressive power.
“I think that progress lies in the direction we haven’t gone before. So women have been trained to be passive and subservient. Progress often lies in becoming—as I would put it—assertive, rather than aggressive. Because it’s certainly not violent. Progress for men, who have often been taught to be overly aggressive, may lie in becoming better listeners, more nurturing… Each of us is striving to become whole; men are striving for this, and many men are striving to become whole just as women are. If men are striving to do that, then we can do it together.
"Men who are adversaries declare themselves to be the adversary; it’s not our fault. I mean, they say, you know, we think women are inferior, we think women should stay at home, we think God ordained women to be a certain way… if, naturally, they are the adversaries—not because they are men per se, but because of the male superiority they project."
“I think progress lies in the direction we haven’t yet taken. Women have therefore been conditioned to be passive and submissive. Progress often lies in becoming—I would say—assertive, rather than aggressive. Because it certainly isn’t about violence. For men, who have often been conditioned to be overly aggressive, progress might mean becoming more attentive, more compassionate… Each of us seeks self-fulfillment; men aspire to it, and many of them, just like women, are also seeking self-fulfillment. If men strive for it, then we can achieve it together.”
The men who present themselves as opponents declare themselves to be so; it’s not our fault. I mean, they say, “You know, we think women are inferior, we think women should stay at home, we think God has commanded women to be a certain way…” If they are naturally adversaries, it’s not because they are men per se, but because of the male superiority they exude.”
Highlights of Gloria's Life
She spent most of her childhood living in a van and received only a limited education until she was 12.
She took care of her mother, who suffered from depression, at a very young age, which led her to decide never to have children.
Her feminist roots trace back to her grandmother, who was president of the National Woman Suffrage Association and a delegate to the International Council of Women in 1908.
At age 22, she left the United States for India and stayed there for two years. It was a journey that would transform her profoundly. Her departure had initially been jeopardized by an unwanted pregnancy. She was able to have an abortion performed by a London doctor, who agreed to perform the procedure on the condition that “she never reveal his name, and that she do whatever she wants with her life.”
In 1963, she posed as one of the bunnies at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion while working as a journalist and published an article in *Show* magazine describing the women’s deplorable working conditions.
In 1971, she co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus with Bella Abzug, Shirley Chisholm, and Betty Friedan—an organization dedicated to promoting the participation of women at all levels of politics and government.
A year later, she founded *Ms.* magazine, the first magazine designed for women, by women, on an intellectual level. It was a magazine intended to be on par with women’s intelligence. She co-founded it with Dorothy Pitman Hughes, an African American activist.
In 1977, she was among the women appointed by President Jimmy Carter to travel across the United States and organize the Houston Conference, known as the 1977 National Women’s Conference. She was appointed alongside Bella Abzug and Robin Morgan, among others. During this three-day conference, topics such as contraception, abortion, health care, social assistance, the rights of lesbian women, domestic violence, the exclusion of domestic workers, and labor laws were discussed.
In 2013, Barack Obama awarded him the Medal of Freedom.
Throughout all these years, his struggles never ceased, and his stances were never silenced. His passing resonates as a call to the future, a refusal to comply, and a need to go further and stronger.
