Feminist trailblazer Gloria Steinem passed away peacefully at her home on Wednesday, September 2, “surrounded by some of the many who loved her,” her foundation shared on Thursday morning. Steinem was 92.
From the 1960s onward, Steinem was the face of a movement that fought to obtain rights for women—including the right to obtain a legal abortion; the right to attend Ivy League schools; and the right to apply for a credit card without a husband's signature. In 2013, she was awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Until her death on September 2, she remained a staunch activist, supporting and advocating for causes including Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+ rights, and reproductive rights—it was Steinem who coined the term "reproductive freedom." Throughout her career, Steinem fought to see equal credit given to the women of color active within feminist movements, saying in 2022: "Women of color in general—and especially Black women—have always been more likely to be feminist than white women."
Over the course of her life, Steinem wrote nine books and co-founded the feminist publication Ms.; the Women's Action Alliance; the National Women's Political Caucus; and the Women's Media Center. She also founded Gloria's Foundation and its now-famous "talking circles"—which, the foundation noted, is "a tradition she insisted will continue long after she is no longer with us."
Speaking about the tradition in a "talking circle" in July attended by Marie Claire, Steinem noted: "I love that it’s a circle. I love that it doesn’t have a president or a vice president. We’re all part of it. We can all participate and agree and disagree and learn and discover what we thought we knew was wrong.”
As for Steinem's final wishes, her foundation shared: "Gloria loved the tradition of lighting signal fires on hills to light the way to the other side of the mountain. Lighting your own candle for Gloria makes you part of this global and celestial community circle ... In lieu of flowers, Gloria has asked that those wishing to honor her with a gift, may make a donation to Gloria’s Foundation."
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