Gloria Steinem

Gloria Marie Steinem ( STY-nəm; March 25, 1934 – September 2, 2026) was an American journalist and social movement activist who emerged as a nationally recognized leader of second-wave feminism in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and who remained particularly prominent in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Steinem was a columnist for New York magazine and co-founder of Ms. magazine. In 1969, she published "After Black Power, Women's Liberation", an article that brought her national attention and positioned her as a feminist leader. In 1971, she co-founded the National Women's Political Caucus, which provided training and support for women seeking elected and appointed office. Also in 1971, she co-founded the Women's Action Alliance, which until 1997 supported a network of feminist activists and worked to advance feminist causes and legislation. In 1992, Steinem helped establish Take Our Daughters to Work Day, an occasion for young girls to learn about future career opportunities. In 2005, Steinem, Jane Fonda, and Robin Morgan co-founded the Women's Media Center, an organization that "works to make women visible and powerful in the media".

She traveled internationally as an organizer and lecturer and was a media spokeswoman on issues of equality. In 2015, Steinem, alongside two Nobel Peace laureates (Mairead Maguire of Northern Ireland and Leymah Gbowee of Liberia) and other prominent women peace activists, undertook a journey from the capital of North Korea, Pyongyang, to South Korea, crossing the Korean Demilitarized Zone.