Gloria Steinem, the pioneering feminist activist and journalist who championed women's rights for decades, died peacefully at her New York City home on Wednesday, September 2. She was 92 years old.
The announcement came Thursday, September 3, through a post shared on both Steinem's and her foundation's official Instagram accounts. According to the statement, Steinem was surrounded by loved ones at the time of her death.
The statement described her nearly century-long life as years well-lived, noting that she remained committed to equality work until her final days. It characterized her most remarkable quality as an ability to truly listen to others and help people feel acknowledged and understood. Her influence, the statement said, empowered individuals to embrace their authentic selves.
The post emphasized that Steinem maintained her independent spirit throughout her life, approaching the world with curiosity and humor.
During her recent years, Steinem devoted herself to two primary passions: building community and writing. She hosted hundreds of guests in her living room for Talking Circles, a practice the statement indicated would continue as part of her legacy. Her forthcoming book, An Unexpected Life, reflects on her decades in a brownstone that housed lives before hers and will shelter others after her passing.
The statement described both the book and her commitment to transforming her home into a center for social justice movements as gifts intended to create lasting impact. Steinem frequently referenced the butterfly effect, noting how small actions can generate far-reaching consequences.
The announcement invoked Steinem's appreciation for the tradition of lighting signal fires on hills to illuminate paths across mountains, encouraging supporters to light candles in her memory as part of a global community circle.
Rather than flowers, the statement requested that those wishing to honor Steinem consider donations to Gloria's Foundation.
Born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1934, Steinem spent portions of her youth moving between Michigan, Florida, and California. Following her parents' divorce when she reached age 11, she took on substantial caregiving responsibilities for her mother, Ruth Steinem, who experienced mental illness.
After completing her government studies at Smith College in 1956, Steinem built a freelance writing career. During the 1960s, she contributed to the creation of New York magazine and covered significant topics including an abortion hearing held by the radical feminist group called the Redstockings.
Her activism intensified in 1971 when she established the National Women's Political Caucus alongside Bella Abzug and Betty Friedan. That same year saw the launch of Ms., the feminist magazine she created to examine issues including domestic violence. Her organizational work extended to co-founding the Women's Action Alliance in 1971, Voters for Choice in 1977, the Ms. Foundation for Women, and the Women's Media Center in 2004.
In 1983, Steinem published Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, an essay collection exploring feminist philosophy and her personal experiences. After a breast cancer diagnosis in 1986, she entered remission that same year and proceeded to write 10 additional books on women's rights, including Marilyn: Norma Jean (1986), Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem (1992), and Moving Beyond Words: Age, Rage, Sex, Power, Money, Muscles: Breaking Boundaries of Gender (1994).
Former President Barack Obama presented Steinem with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013, the nation's highest civilian honor. During the ceremony, Obama, 61, praised her work addressing domestic violence, affordable child care shortages, and discriminatory hiring practices. He credited her efforts with expanding respect and opportunities for women across America and globally.
Despite previously stating she would never marry, Steinem wed entrepreneur David Bale, Christian Bale's father, in 2000. David Bale died from brain cancer at age 62 in 2003.
In October 2022, Steinem self-published an essay for Vanity Fair discussing how she maintained hope while navigating a global pandemic and living in a post-Roe world. She wrote that when asked how she continued her work at her age, she explained that action remained infinitely interesting. She emphasized that while individuals rarely solve major problems alone, collective effort makes anything possible.
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Ava Hart
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