Writer and feminist activist Gloria Steinem died Wednesday at her home in New York City. She was 92.
Her foundation confirmed the death in a social media post, saying she “passed away peacefully” surrounded by loved ones, according to the Associated Press.
The tribute praised Steinem’s defining qualities: “Gloria’s greatest gift was her ability to listen to others, to make others feel seen and heard.” It added that “her words, actions, and example gave people permission to be their truest selves. Gloria lived true to her independent spirit, always with curiosity and a great sense of humor.”
A Career Forged in Journalism and Activism
Steinem’s public life began in journalism, most famously with an undercover assignment inside Hugh Hefner’s Playboy empire — a story she would later say she regretted, per the AP report. The episode was later dramatized in a 1985 television movie starring Kirstie Alley.
In 1968, she helped found New York magazine, where her essay “After Black Power, Women’s Liberation” cemented her status as a leader of the feminist movement during a period of intense social upheaval.
As co-founder of Ms. Magazine and a key figure in the Women’s Action Alliance, Steinem became one of the most recognizable faces of American feminism. But that visibility came with its own burdens. Even in her later years, she voiced frustration that coverage of her often focused on her appearance rather than her work — a 1992 Vanity Fair profile noted her “spectacular racehorse legs,” a label the Toledo, Ohio-born activist said undercut her message.
Personal Life and Later Years
Steinem married South African businessman and environmentalist David Bale — father of actor Christian Bale — when she was 66. She had long explained her singlehood with the line, “I can’t mate in captivity.” She also wrote that laughter was “the only free emotion — the only one that can’t be compelled.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2026/09/03/gloria-steinem-journalist-and-activist-has-died-aged-92/