Gloria Steinem, the pioneering journalist, author and activist who became one of the defining figures of the American women’s movement, died Sept. 2 at her home in New York City. She was 92.

Gloria’s Foundation announced her death the following day, saying Steinem “passed away peacefully at her home in New York City, surrounded by some of the many who loved her.” A cause of death was not disclosed.

Her death closes a career spanning more than six decades in which Steinem moved between journalism, political organizing and activism, becoming one of the most recognizable advocates for women’s equality in the United States.

“Gloria’s near-century on earth were years well-lived, and she continued working for equality until the very end,” her foundation said.

From Journalist to National Feminist Voice

Born March 25, 1934, in Toledo, Ohio, Steinem graduated from Smith College in 1956 before spending two years in India on a fellowship, an experience she later credited with influencing her approach to grassroots organizing.

Her journalism brought her national attention in the 1960s. Among her best-known early assignments was a 1963 undercover investigation in which she worked as a Playboy Bunny to document the conditions faced by women employed at New York’s Playboy Club.

By the end of that decade, Steinem had become increasingly involved in the growing women's liberation movement.

She eventually emerged as one of its most prominent public figures, advocating for reproductive rights, economic equality and greater representation for women in politics and the workplace.

Steinem helped establish the National Women’s Political Caucus and was among the founders of Ms. magazine, which became an influential platform for feminist journalism after its launch in the early 1970s. She also helped establish organizations including the Ms. Foundation for Women and, decades later, the Women’s Media Center.

Her visibility made her both a symbol of the movement and a frequent target of criticism, but Steinem repeatedly emphasized that feminism was a collective movement rather than the work of any single leader.

A Career That Stretched Across Generations

Steinem's influence extended far beyond the activism of the 1960s and 1970s.

She continued writing, speaking and organizing for decades, addressing issues ranging from reproductive freedom and political representation to racial and economic inequality.

Her books included Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, Revolution from Within and the memoir My Life on the Road. Her life and work were also chronicled in documentaries and dramatized in the 2020 film The Glorias.

In 2013, President Barack Obama awarded Steinem the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.

Even in her later years, Steinem remained involved in activism and continued encouraging younger generations to organize around women's rights and broader questions of equality.

Her death prompted tributes from political figures, entertainers and activists who had worked with her or been influenced by her career. Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Jane Fonda, Kamala Harris and others were among those publicly reflecting on Steinem's influence following the announcement.

For Steinem, however, the institutions and movements she helped build were always intended to extend beyond her own lifetime.

Her foundation reflected that philosophy in announcing her death, remembering a woman whose ability to listen and make others feel heard was among what it described as her greatest gifts.

Steinem leaves behind a body of journalism, books, organizations and political activism that helped shape the national conversation around women's rights for more than half a century.