Gloria Steinem, potent voice of US feminism, co-founder of Ms. magazine, dies at 92

Gloria Steinem, an influential feminist activist and journalist, has passed away at the age of 92. Her foundation confirmed her death, stating she "passed away peacefully" at her New York City home, "surrounded by many who loved her."

Born in Toledo, Ohio, on March 25, 1934, Steinem's childhood was challenging, and she didn't attend school full-time until she was 12. After university, she traveled to India on a research scholarship and spent two years there, working with village women to organize protests against government policies. This experience sparked her interest in grassroots activism.

Returning to New York City in the early 1960s, Steinem began her career as a freelance writer, gaining recognition through an exposé of Playboy Bunny working conditions. She later became a columnist for New York Magazine, later founding Ms. magazine in 1972, which focused on women's issues beyond housekeeping and beauty.

Steinem was a vocal advocate for women's reproductive rights and witnessed the reversal of the 1973 Roe v Wade decision, which granted women the constitutional right to abortion. She also supported same-sex marriage legalization, equal rights and pay for women, and protested against the death penalty and female genital mutilation.

Steinem eschewed traditional marriage but later married David Bale, a South African-born entrepreneur-environmentalist and father of actor Christian Bale, in 2000. He passed away three years later from brain lymphoma.

In 2013, former President Barack Obama awarded Steinem the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the US. Her foundation noted that she continued working for equality until her very last days. They praised her ability to make others feel seen and heard, and her words, actions, and example gave people permission to be their truest selves.

Clinton, a former US Secretary of State and 2016 presidential candidate, remembered Steinem as one of the architects of women's equality, stating, "Gloria was at heart an optimist... Her activism was rooted in optimism, and that's a moral choice, and she made it every day."

Tributes poured in after news of her death, with many writers and feminists expressing gratitude on Instagram, acknowledging that she had changed their lives. Clinton further commented that Steinem's optimism was rooted in a moral choice, inspiring daily activism.