Gloria Steinem, feminist pioneer and journalist, dies at 92

Gloria Steinem, the celebrated feminist activist and journalist whose writings and campaigns helped shape the modern women's rights movement in the United States, has died at the age of 92. Her foundation confirmed the news on Thursday, and tributes immediately began pouring in from across the political and cultural spectrum.

Born on 25 March 1934 in Toledo, Ohio, Steinem had a difficult childhood and did not attend school full-time until she was 12 years old. After graduating from university in the late 1950s, she went to India on a research scholarship. Over the next two years, she worked with village women to organise non-violent protests against government policies, an experience she later credited with igniting her lifelong commitment to grassroots activism.

Returning to the United States, Steinem moved to New York City in the early 1960s to build a career as a freelance writer. Her breakthrough came through an undercover exposé of the exploitative working conditions endured by Playboy Bunnies. She soon became a columnist for New York Magazine and, in 1972, co-founded Ms. magazine—a landmark publication run by women, which gave a platform to conversations about reproductive rights, equal pay and domestic violence long before they entered the mainstream.

Steinem was also a tireless campaigner for the Equal Rights Amendment, abortion rights and broader social justice. She wrote extensively on the link between gender equality, race and class. In 2000, despite her earlier public reluctance about the institution of marriage, she married David Bale, a South African-born entrepreneur and environmentalist. Bale, the father of actor Christian Bale, died from brain lymphoma in 2003.

In 2013, then-President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour in the United States, recognising a lifetime of advocacy.

Her foundation said she 'continued working for equality until the very end.' In a statement, it described her greatest gift as 'her ability to listen to others, to make others feel seen and heard.' The statement added that Steinem's words and actions gave 'people permission to be their truest selves,' and noted that she spent her final years hosting 'Talking Circles' at her home and working on a forthcoming book, An Unexpected Life, which will be released posthumously.

Tributes flowed on social media, with many writers and feminists saying that Steinem had changed their lives. Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, who has spoken openly about her friendship with Steinem, said she was celebrating 'the life and legacy of my friend and mentor.' In an Instagram post, she recalled Steinem's warmth, guidance and 'unrivaled cheekiness and wit,' adding that Steinem privately 'was even better than you would imagine.' Markle said she now wears with pride a bracelet Steinem gave her, inscribed with the words 'we are linked, not ranked.'

Hillary Clinton, the former US Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, told CBS Mornings that Steinem was 'one of the architects of the entire structure of women's equality,' adding, 'Gloria was at heart an optimist. Her activism was rooted in optimism, and that's a moral choice, and she made it every day.'

Steinem's influence resonated far beyond the United States. Her books, including Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions and Moving Beyond Words, have inspired generations of readers. She travelled frequently, connecting feminist activists around the world, and never wavered in her belief that listening to everyday people was a radical act. Her death leaves an enduring legacy of courage, humour and defiant hope for equality.