Iconic American feminist Gloria Steinem has died at age 92
The journalist, writer and activist died at her home in New York, surrounded by her loved ones. Her foundation did not disclose the cause of death.
(ARCHIVE) American journalist and feminist Gloria Steinem
Gloria Steinem, one of the most influential figures in the American feminist movement and a leading figure of the so-called second wave of feminism, died Wednesday at the age of 92 at her home in New York.
The news was confirmed on Thursday by the Gloria Steinem Foundation, which reported that the activist passed away "in peace" surrounded by loved ones. The organization did not specify the cause of death.
"The nearly 100 years that Gloria lived on earth were years well spent, and she continued to work for equality until the very end," the foundation said in a message posted on social media and quoted by AFP.
From journalism to feminist activism
Born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1934, Steinem began her career as a journalist during the 1960s, when women still had a limited presence in newsrooms and in political forums.
One of her best-known works was an investigative report published in 1963 after she worked undercover as a waitress at the Playboy Club in New York. The article, titled "A Bunny's Tale," exposed the working conditions and treatment of women working as Playboy "bunnies."
Her commitment to feminism intensified toward the end of that decade. Steinem identified a 1969 meeting as a turning point, during which several women publicly shared their experiences with abortion, an issue that remained deeply controversial at the time.
From then on, her activism extended beyond journalism: she began traveling across the United States to participate in conferences, protests and campaigns for women's rights.
One of the leading voices of the second wave of feminism
A year later, she also became one of the main driving forces behind Ms. Magazine, a publication that helped bring issues related to equality, reproductive rights, discrimination and violence against women into the public discourse.
For decades, Steinem also championed women's political participation, economic equality and "reproductive rights." Her activism made her one of the most recognizable faces of American feminism and also a figure who sparked heated debates and criticism both within and outside the feminist movement itself.
A legacy that transcended the United States
Steinem continued to participate in public debate for much of her later years and collaborated with various organizations dedicated to women's rights and female representation in the media.
Among her honors are the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which she received in 2013 during the presidency of Barack Obama, and the Princess of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities, awarded in 2021 in Spain.
Her life and career were also adapted for film and theater. The movie "The Glorias," released in 2020, depicted different stages of her life and her transformation into one of the leading figures of the American feminist movement.
With her passing, we have lost one of the figures who contributed most to making the feminist demands of the second half of the 20th century a central part of American political and social debate.
LATEST
