Gloria Steinem

Since the 1960s, Gloria Steinem has been an inspiration to the feminist movement. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Smith College in 1956, and then traveled to India on the Chester Bowles Asian Fellowship. While there, her concern with the low standard of living in the country sparked her lifelong dedication to fighting social injustice.

Attending her first meeting of the Redstockings, a women's liberation group, while working as a journalist in New York, inspired Gloria to become an activist for women's issues. In 1971, she helped form the National Women's Political Caucus and fought for an abortion plank in the party platform at the National Democratic Party Convention. In 1972, Gloria co-founded the highly successful Ms. Magazine, the first magazine controlled by women that seriously dealt with women's issues. She is now the president of Voters for Choice, a bi-partisan organization that supports political candidates who support reproductive freedom.

Gloria Steinem has also helped found the Women's Action Alliance, the national Women's Political Caucus, the Coalition of Labor Union Women and is the founding president of the Ms. Foundation for Women. Her publications include: Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, Marilyn: Norma Jean, and Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem and Moving Beyond Words. She has received many journalism and humanitarian awards, and the World Almanac listed her as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in America for nine of the list's ten years.

Source and Photograph: IU East Commission on the Status of Women

Meagan Petersen '07 (mpeterse@wellesley.edu)
Created: November 2004
Last Modified: December 2004
Expires: June 2005