Feminist activist and journalist Gloria Steinem has died, her foundation announced Thursday on social media. Steinem "passed away peacefully at her home in New York City" on Wednesday, her foundation said. "Gloria's near-century on earth were years well-lived, and she continued working for equality until the very end," it added.
"Gloria lived true to her independent spirit, always with curiosity and a great sense of humor." Steinem became one of the most visible symbols of the US women's movement, helping lead the country's second wave of feminism. She was a fierce advocate for feminist causes throughout her life. She spent the majority of her life on the road, speaking at college campuses, community centers, rallies and marches.
"She spent her recent years doing the two things she loved most: being in community with others and writing," her foundation said. Born on March 25, 1935 in Toledo, Ohio as the younger of two daughters, Steinem did not attend school regularly until around seventh grade due to her father's work as a traveling antique dealer and the subsequent frequent movement of her family. Her parents separated when she was 11, pushing her to take care of her mother, who suffered from depression and had a mental breakdown.
It was her earliest education on social injustice and marriage, shaping her belief that the institution robbed women of choices and many of their civil rights. "I'd already been the very small parent of a very big child, my mother. I didn't want to end up taking care of someone else," she was quoted as saying.
She began freelancing as a journalist following her graduation from Smith College. In 1963, she had a brief stint with Playboy as a bunny. She used her experience to produce her groundbreaking expose "A Bunny's Tale" for Show magazine, where she shed light on the poor pay and sexist treatment Playbloy bunnies endured.
She then helped found New York Magazine in 1968. Her essay "After Black Power, Women's Liberation" is credited for kickstarting her status as a feminist leader. But for Steinem, her activism career really began a year later, when she attended an abortion speak-out in a New York church.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
