Gloria Steinem, Icon of US Women’s Rights Movement, Dies at 92

Gloria Steinem, the celebrated American journalist, author and feminist activist who became one of the most recognizable faces of the US women’s rights movement, has died at the age of 92.

Steinem died Wednesday at her home in New York City after a period of declining health, according to a statement posted on her social media accounts. Her death marks the passing of one of the most influential figures in the American feminist movement, whose activism spanned more than six decades.

With her distinctive hairstyle and trademark aviator glasses, Steinem became a highly visible advocate for gender equality from the 1960s onward. She travelled extensively across the United States, speaking at universities, community centres, rallies and marches and campaigning for greater political, social and economic rights for women.

Steinem was also a co-founder of Ms. Magazine, which became an influential platform for the women’s movement in the United States. Through journalism, public speaking and political activism, she helped bring issues such as workplace discrimination, reproductive rights and gender equality into mainstream national debate.

Her influence extended beyond writing and public advocacy. She played a role in building organisations aimed at increasing women’s participation in American politics and remained active on a wide range of social justice and human rights issues throughout her life.

Even in her later years, Steinem continued to speak publicly about equality and social justice. In a 2015 interview with The Associated Press, she stressed the importance of direct human interaction, arguing that genuine empathy often requires people to be physically present with one another.

Friends said that although Steinem had become physically frail in recent months, her sharp wit, humour and generosity remained intact. Activist and longtime friend Abigail Disney said Steinem was still “just as funny and just as sharp” shortly before her death.

Steinem had also recently completed a memoir, which is scheduled for publication this fall. The book reflects on her extraordinary life, activism and experiences during some of the most transformative decades in the history of the US women’s movement.

Her death has prompted tributes from prominent American political and cultural figures, including former politicians and fellow activists.

For generations of women’s rights campaigners, Steinem was more than a journalist or activist. She became a symbol of the struggle for equality and a defining voice of American feminism. Her legacy is expected to endure through the organisations she helped build, the causes she championed and the generations of activists influenced by her work.

Source: Associated Press.