Gloria Steinem, a co-founder of Ms. Magazine and a prominent leader of the American feminist movement, died on Wednesday at her home in New York City at the age of 92. Her death was announced on her and her foundation’s social media accounts, which stated she passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones.
Steinem spent more than five decades as a fixture of the U.S. women’s movement, traveling across the country to speak at rallies, marches, college campuses, and community halls. Beginning her career as a journalist, her notable early work included a 1963 undercover investigation into the working conditions of Playboy Club waitresses. A pivotal shift occurred after she attended a public forum where women shared their experiences with abortion, having previously undergone a secret, illegal abortion herself at age 22.
In 1971, she helped establish Ms. Magazine, providing her with a national platform. Steinem continued her activism, writing, and speaking engagements regarding gender equality and reproductive rights into her final years. Following her death, tributes were received from politicians, public figures, and feminist organizations, remembering her as a defining voice of modern American feminism with influence reaching beyond the United States.