- Gloria Steinem, the trailblazing feminist activist, journalist and author, has died at the age of 92.
- Steinem became one of the most recognizable leaders of the modern women’s movement and helped co-found Ms. magazine.
- Her foundation said she died peacefully at her New York City home, surrounded by loved ones.
Gloria Steinem, the pioneering journalist and activist who became one of the most recognizable faces of the American women’s movement, has died. She was 92. Steinem died Wednesday, September 2, at her home in New York City, according to an announcement from her foundation.
Her foundation said Steinem died peacefully surrounded by some of the many people who loved her, remembering her for her independence, curiosity and sense of humor. Over a public career spanning more than six decades, Steinem became an internationally known advocate for women’s equality while also working as a journalist, author, political organizer and public speaker.
Gloria Steinem became one of feminism’s most recognizable voices
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Born March 25, 1934, in Toledo, Ohio, Steinem initially built her career as a journalist. One of her best-known early assignments came in 1963, when she went undercover as a Playboy Bunny to report on the treatment and working conditions of women at New York’s Playboy Club. Her work became increasingly political during the 1960s, and Steinem later said that covering an abortion-rights gathering in 1969 helped propel her into activism.
Steinem went on to co-found the National Women’s Political Caucus in 1971 alongside figures including Betty Friedan, Shirley Chisholm and Bella Abzug. The following year, she helped launch Ms. magazine, which became one of the defining publications of the feminist movement. Steinem remained a highly visible advocate for issues including workplace equality, reproductive rights and the Equal Rights Amendment, becoming a familiar figure at rallies, college campuses and political events across the country.
Steinem remained a prominent voice for decades
Age did little to quiet Steinem’s activism. She continued traveling and speaking well into her 80s and remained involved in causes around the world. In 2017, at 82, she addressed the massive Women’s March in Washington. Her life and career were later dramatized in the 2020 film The Glorias, in which Julianne Moore portrayed an older Steinem. Steinem was also the author of several books, including the 2015 memoir My Life on the Road.
Steinem remained engaged with writing and her community into her final years, even hosting discussion circles at her Manhattan home. According to the Associated Press, she had recently completed another memoir that was expected to be released in the fall of 2026. Remembering Steinem after her death, her foundation said that one of her greatest gifts was making others feel “seen and heard.” Her decades of journalism, activism and organizing leave behind a legacy that helped reshape the conversation about women’s lives in America.
