Gloria Steinem, the pioneering feminist activist, journalist and writer who helped reshape the modern women’s movement, has died at 92.
Steinem died peacefully Wednesday at her home in New York, surrounded by loved ones, according to an announcement on the Gloria Steinem Foundation’s website.
Her cause of death was not released.
For decades, Steinem was one of the most recognizable voices in the fight for women’s rights, using journalism and activism to push issues of equality, inclusion and social justice into the national conversation.
She co-founded Ms. Magazine, which became a landmark publication associated with the women’s movement and was notable for being owned, operated and written by women.
Steinem’s work extended well beyond publishing.
She advocated for equal economic and social opportunities for women and girls, reproductive rights, protections for victims of domestic violence and greater opportunities for women in the workplace.
She also focused heavily on how women were represented in the media, while using her writing to amplify women’s voices on subjects including politics, war and voting rights.
Throughout her career, Steinem pushed for greater political representation for women and supported female candidates seeking higher office.
Her influence eventually earned her some of the country’s highest honors.
Steinem received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal Award and a Freedom Award from the National Civil Rights Museum. She was also inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and received recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists and the United Nations Society of Writers.
Despite the decades of activism and recognition, Steinem once resisted being described as a legend.
The last time TMZ encountered her was in Washington, D.C., in December 2019, when she reflected on her long career and explained why she did not consider herself a legend.
At the time, she remained characteristically focused on the work rather than the mythology surrounding her name.
Steinem leaves behind a legacy deeply intertwined with the advancement of women’s rights and the broader fight for equality.
From journalism to political activism, she spent decades challenging institutions and advocating for women and girls whose voices she believed deserved to be heard.
Gloria Steinem was 92.
RIP.
