Gloria Steinem 1934–2026

We lost two of America’s most iconic women during the past weeks. First, Dolly Parton, whose unique blend of femininity, business acumen, and generosity modeled female economic independence when women’s financial autonomy was virtually nonexistent in the world of entertainment. She called out sexism and condescension and built an extraordinary empire, retaining ownership and creative control over her music in a male-dominated industry.

And then we lost Gloria Steinem, one of my sheroes. There are no superlatives that adequately describe the influence she had with millions of girls and women through her lifetime of advocacy; organizing; and challenging the patriarchy, a system that has kept women from achieving their dreams, potential, and independence. Hers was the siren call to break a system that has controlled women’s lives since the beginning of time, and she did it with enormous eloquence and elegance.

Among Gloria’s many famous quotes — “Don’t think about making women fit into the world; think about making the world fit women,” and “A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle,” and “The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off” — are the words that opened the door for women to consider their possibilities and create community in the fight for equality.

She took on institutional misogyny, first with her exposé on what it was truly like to be a Playboy Bunny, and later through helping change the laws on gender discrimination, domestic violence, sexual harassment, and the absence of economic equity and independence.

As a recent college graduate in the 1970s, I was invited to a small gathering in Los Angeles where Gloria was the featured speaker. I knew who she was but had never had the opportunity to hear her speak or see her in person. When she entered the room, I was immediately struck by her presence — her essence. She was strikingly attractive, wearing a black turtleneck and pants outfit, with long flowing hair and large aviator glasses, thus debunking the sexists who tried to reduce feminism to “ugly, man-hating, bra-burning females.” She was not only breathtaking; when she spoke, she was eloquent, articulate, brilliant, and, above all, inspiring.

She put into words the frustration and anger I carried for years — of having to be twice as good to get half as far as my male colleagues; to be refused the opportunity to try out for Little League as a child because girls weren’t allowed to play, although I was the best; of being told that I should let the boys win at tennis so they wouldn’t feel bad, even though I was the top-ranked junior in New England; of being told to apply for secretarial positions and being asked how many words a minute I could type (which was one of my driving forces applying for law school and deciding to become a lawyer); to being denied credit without my husband’s signature when I married. As for so many, the list goes on.

Gloria’s words struck me like a thunderbolt at that event. She called out patriarchy and the need to challenge it from a position of strength, conviction, self-empowerment, and confidence. But the words that struck me most and have led to my lifetime involvement in the fight for equality and opportunity for women and girls was her account of her experience in India — observing that women had no access to birth control and were burdened with too many mouths to feed.

I still remember her exact words, “Women will never achieve equality or freedom unless and until we are able to control our own reproduction.” Simple, clear, and shining a light bulb, one of many she has triggered for millions of others in her explanation of how elimination of the patriarchal system must be achieved so that women will be treated as equals.

Millions of women have been inspired, empowered, encouraged, and motivated by this extraordinary woman, who co-founded Ms. magazine, the National Women’s Political Caucus, the Women’s Action Alliance. She spoke and wrote in ways that made us recognize our own power, potential, and dreams — and the right to fulfill them, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other category by which we humans are categorized and treated as “less than.” She often stood with and praised women of color, reminding us that women of color have long been the leaders in this fight.

I met Gloria again in 2004 when she visited UC Santa Barbara as part of a national program to “Rock the Vote,” encouraging students to vote. She was married at the time, and her husband, also dressed in all black, joined her. I remember observing what a strikingly impressive couple they were and how well they interacted, with joy, humor, and respect. And there she was again, reaching out to students, imploring them to vote and inspiring them to help reform a political system that keeps reinforcing the very norms that hold women back.

We have lost one of our most eloquent voices, but as she often said, her work is not finished and we must carry the torch into the future. She championed ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. I hope we will finish that fight in her name and honor so it will finally be acknowledged as the law of the land. We must continue the fight for equality in all forms as she lived and fought for a world where we are all treated as equal, respected and fulfilled because our shared humanity requires it. Gloria gave her long and extraordinary life to this cause. She reached for the stars, and now that she is among them, we must continue her extraordinary legacy not only by extending that reach, but also by achieving our collective hopes and dreams of making this a more just and equal world for all of us.