Gloria Steinem’s legacy continues to flourish after her death on September 2, 2026. From creating various magazines to establishing her own political organizations, she didn’t just accomplish her goals with her own interests in mind- she actively advocated for other women as well.Â
Although Steinem is now celebrated for her multitude of accomplishments, she was once a young woman trying to make ends meet. Born in Toledo, Ohio in 1934, Steinem’s parents divorced when she was 10 years old. She spent a large portion of her adolescence caring for her mother until she graduated high school. She studied government at Smith College, where she graduated with honors and earned the opportunity to conduct research in India as a Chester Bowles Fellowship recipient. Steinem’s time in India fostered her interest in the grassroots activism that would later shape her career.Â
After college, Steinem struggled to establish herself as a journalist. She wrote freelance articles for multiple publications in New York during the late 1950s and early 1960s but was often discouraged from writing politically centered articles. In 1963, Show Magazine hired her to write an exposé about the working conditions of Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Club. Despite her frank account of the club’s conditions, Steinem struggled to be taken seriously as a writer..
Despite these obstacles, Steinem refused to back down. She was one of the first contributing editors for New York magazine in 1968, when women were often excluded from attaining leadership roles. She used her editing experience to launch her very own Ms. Magazine, starting as an insert to New York magazine in 1971 before becoming an independent publication one year later. Ms. Magazine specifically focuses on feminist causes and encourages women to express their opinions in a male-dominated society.
Steinem’s journalistic accomplishments are only one part of her illustrious career. Around the same time she founded Ms. Magazine, Steinem also contributed in spearheading the multi-partisan organization National Women’s Political Caucus with Betty Friedan, Lou Hamer, Bella Abzug, and Shirley Chisholm; both Abzug and Chisholm were congresswomen at the time. The organization currently has 12 state chapters and helps women become involved with politics.Â
In addition to the National Women’s Political Caucus, Steinem founded the Women’s Action Alliance in 1971, Voters for Choice in 1977, and the Women’s Media Center in 2005. She has written several books, won the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013, and spent her remaining years fighting for women’s equality.Â
Steinem’s success is a testament to her talent, tenacity, and passion for helping other women. Her story shows how ambition can have the potential to start a lasting revolution.