Gloria Steinem's Long History With TIME
Feminist icon Gloria Steinem has died. See how TIME's coverage of her evolved over the decades.
Gloria Steinem, who passed away on September 2, was a feminist icon whose influence spanned over nine decades. Her career began when the magazine TIME described her as "one of the best dates to take to a New York party these days" and "a smasher looking Gucci liberal." Steinem, born on March 25, 1934, to a homemaker mother and a father with little ambition, faced an uncertain childhood.
After her parents' divorce and living with relatives, Steinem spent two years in India, where she later said she had never lived before. Her first major breakthrough came in 1963 when she published an undercover account of her time as a Playboy Bunny in Show magazine, which led to her work at New York magazine. Steinem used her platform to promote equality, writing about women's rights and advocating for their inclusion in government.
In 1971, she helped establish the National Women's Political Caucus and co-founded Ms. magazine, which she described as a guide to seizing control of one's life. TIME began to acknowledge her impact, describing her as "feminism's superstar" and praising her efforts to change the population's demographics. Despite facing setbacks, Steinem continued her activism, addressing issues like native rights, apartheid, and LGBTQ+ rights.
Her pragmatic and compassionate approach earned her respect and recognition throughout her long and influential life.
Written by urgent.news from Time's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
