Life and passing in New York

Journalist, author, and activist Gloria Steinem died on September 2, 2026, at the age of 92 at her home in Manhattan. Steinem stood as one of the central figures of second-wave feminism from the late 1960s onward, advocating for reproductive rights, equal pay, and legal protections against domestic violence. Following the announcement of her death, public figures and longtime collaborators issued tributes reflecting on her decades of political work. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described her on social media as an architect of the modern push for gender equality.

“Over the decades, she became one of the architects of the entire structure of women's equality.”

Formative years and early journalism

Steinem graduated from Smith College with a degree in government in 1956 before traveling to India in 1957 on a Chester Bowles fellowship. While waiting in London for her Indian visa at age 22, she obtained an illegal abortion, an experience that reinforced her commitment to reproductive freedom. In India, she resided at Miranda House at Delhi University, traveled across the country for two years, and wrote for local newspapers after fellowship funds concluded. Upon returning to the United States, Steinem worked as a freelance writer for national periodicals including Esquire, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and McCall's. She published an undercover investigation into the working conditions of Playboy Club hostesses in Show magazine in 1963, and in 1968 editor Clay Felker invited her to become a founding contributing editor at New York magazine.

Publishing transformation with Ms. magazine

Steinem co-founded Ms. magazine in 1971 alongside Letty Cottin Pogrebin and other feminist organizers, releasing its first standalone newsstand issue in 1972. The publication became the first national periodical owned and operated entirely by women, addressing topics such as workplace discrimination, domestic abuse, and abortion access. The venture demonstrated that journalism centered on women could attract a mass readership rather than serving only specialized household advice. In a 1973 interview with the BBC, Steinem reflected on the core philosophy behind the founding of the magazine.

“The one element that is the foundation of this magazine and makes it different from others is that it simply considers that women are human beings. That doesn't sound very revolutionary, but it is, because the other magazines are still arguing about it.”

Grassroots organizing and late-career commentary

Throughout her career, Steinem combined publishing with direct organizing, hosting political strategy sessions and talking circles at her three-floor Upper East Side apartment. In the 1980s, she established a quarterly dinner gathering on solstices and equinoxes with feminist authors Marilyn French, E.M. Broner, and Carol Jenkins that spanned over three decades. Close associates such as chef Padma Lakshmi and creative partner Amy Richards recounted how Steinem utilized these gatherings to bring diverse groups into political conversation. Her public commentary also drew sharp scrutiny, notably during the 2016 presidential primary when she remarked on young women supporting Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton. In her later years, colleagues reported that Steinem remained focused on ongoing grassroots campaigns, rejecting the permanence of antifeminist political movements.