Gloria Steinem has died. The women’s rights activist and journalist passed away peacefully at her home in New York City at the age of 92, surrounded by loved ones, according to an announcement on her Instagram account. No cause of death was given.

The statement also noted that she continued working for equality until the very end. According to the announcement, she spent her final years writing and engaging with others. Fans were asked to light a candle in her memory or make a donation to her foundation.

Gloria Steinem Studied Political Science and Spent Two Years in India

Gloria Steinem was born on March 25, 1934, in Toledo, Ohio. She studied political science at Smith College in Massachusetts and graduated magna cum laude in 1956. She then spent two years in India on a scholarship, an experience that later shaped her commitment to grassroots political activism.

Even before she started school, Steinem’s childhood was unusual. She traveled extensively around the country with her parents, Leo and Ruth Steinem, and her older sister, Susanne. She did not begin attending school regularly until she was 11, after her parents separated.

A Playboy Feature Story Made the Journalist Famous Nationwide

She gained early recognition in the media industry in 1963 with an undercover report on working conditions at the Playboy Club. For the story, she assumed a false identity and worked as a Bunny herself for several weeks. Later, in 1968, she helped found New York Magazine, where she became an editor and political columnist.

In 1971, she also co-founded the feminist magazine Ms. According to NBC, her 1969 essay, “After Black Power, Women’s Liberation,” became an important milestone in her journey to becoming one of the defining voices of the women’s movement.

Her Advocacy for Abortion Rights Shaped Her Public Career

A central issue throughout her life was abortion rights. At age 22, she became unintentionally pregnant and, in 1957, sought an abortion, which was illegal at the time. She did not speak publicly about the experience until 1969. In an interview with NPR, she said: “I just knew that if I went home and married, which I would've had to do, it would be to the wrong person; it would be to a life that wasn't mine, that wasn't mine at all.”

She dedicated her book My Life on the Road to Dr. John Sharpe, who helped her at the time. Later, she also became an advocate against domestic violence, child abuse, and workplace inequality.

Marriage to David Bale and Awards Later in Life

In 1971, she co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus with other activists. The organization continues to advocate for greater political participation by women. In 1986, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery and radiation therapy.

In 2000, she married entrepreneur and animal rights activist David Bale, the father of Christian Bale. He died of lymphoma in 2003. Among her most significant honors was the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which was awarded to her by Barack Obama.