Gloria Steinem
(1934 - )
One of the most influential people of the late twentieth century is Gloria Steinem. From writer, to editor, to political activist, Gloria helped pave the way for many women in the early 1960’s and 70’s. She changed the way women were viewed and educated Americans on how important it is that people should be treated equally. At a time when most women sat by and did nothing to stand up for their rights, she spoke up and helped to make them realize that if nothing was done to incite a change that they would never achieve their goal of equal rights. Her accomplishments include being inducted into both the Women’s and The American Society of Magazine Editor’s Halls of fame, as well as having a number of best selling books. During the women’s revolution, she was one of the most popular feminists and continues to help change limitations placed on women.
Gloria was born on March 25,1934. She spent most of her younger years travelling the United States in a house trailer with her parents. Since the family didn’t stay in one place long enough for her to enter a conventional school, her mother home schooled her during their travels. In 1946 her parents divorced and she was forced to take care of her clinically depressed mother. In 1953, she moved to Washington, D.C. to live with her older sister. While there she enrolled in Smith College and graduated in 1956 after winning a fellowship to study in India for two years.
During her time in India, she gained a new perspective of the world. She came to realize how much human suffering there was and participated in many peaceful protests against the Indian Government’s policies. Returning to America with a stronger social conscience, Gloria began work in 1960 as a writer and journalist for “Help!”, a political satire magazine and wrote some scripts for the television show “ That Was the Week That Was”. In 1963, she published one of her most popular articles titled “I was a Playboy Bunny” for “Show” magazine in which she went undercover for three weeks as a waitress and exposed the indigent working conditions of women at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Nightclub.
As Gloria began to see the limitations placed on women, she became more interested in feminism. It was this interest that led her to attend a meeting of the Redstockings, one of the most instrumental feminist assemblies of that time. She was affected by the feminist speakers so much, she made changes in her life to devote her time and career to the cause. Now more in tune with the women’s movement than ever, she used her journalism background to become a key player in feminism. In 1971, along with Betty Friedan and Shirley Chisholm, she helped the National Women’s Political Caucus. This was a group focused on women’s participation in the election of 1972. Later that year, she helped publish the first issue of “Ms.”, a magazine devoted to issues important to women. It appeared as an insert in “New York” magazine and the first issue completely sold out. It soon became one of the most subscribed to women’s magazines. With the success of “Ms.” and her many other contributions to women’s rights Steinem became one of the most popular feminists in America, but she was far from done fighting.
In 1975, she helped plan the women’s agenda for the Democratic National Convention stressing the importance, once again, of women’s issues. Two years later, she participated in the National Conference of Women, and in 1983 wrote “Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions” , a biographical reference to the women’s liberation struggle.
Gloria, now 66, is still somewhat active in her pursuit of feminism, occasionally speaking to people about her experiences and spreading the message of fair treatment and parity. She is an inspiration to people, not only feminists or women’s rights supporters, but anyone who wants to take charge to change something they feel is unfair. Helping to educate people about the women’s struggle and changing so many different people’s viewpoints with her books, articles, and speeches, Gloria Steinem is truly one of the most influential people of the twentieth century.
Copyright 2000 Tiffany Gustafson
Courtesy of:
http://www.amazoncastle.com/feminism/tiff.shtml