Gloria Steinem Dies at 92 as 17 States Enforce Near-Total or 6-Week Abortion Bans
Updated
Updated · The Boston Globe · Sep 4
Gloria Steinem Dies at 92 as 17 States Enforce Near-Total or 6-Week Abortion Bans
3 articles · Updated · The Boston Globe · Sep 4
Summary
Steinem died Wednesday at 92 after living long enough to see a sharp backlash against the feminist vision she helped define, with abortion rights and gender roles back at the center of U.S. culture wars.
Thirteen states now have total or near-total abortion bans and four more bar the procedure after about six weeks, following the Supreme Court's 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade that Steinem called a setback for democracy.
That rollback has coincided with a broader conservative push — backed by Trump administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance, and groups such as Heritage — urging women to marry younger, have more children and prioritize family over careers.
Steinem's movement had helped reshape American life: fewer than 50% of women were in the labor force in the late 1960s, versus about 58% now for women 20 and older, while women in Congress rose from 11 to 152.
Women's advocates say the fight Steinem symbolized remains unfinished, arguing attacks on reproductive rights and feminism are attempts to limit women's choices even as the economy increasingly depends on their work.
Beyond the iconic aviator glasses, what hidden grassroots tactics from India truly fueled Gloria Steinem's revolution for equality?
How did a childhood of isolation and caring for a mentally ill mother forge the most recognizable face of modern feminism?
The Making and Legacy of Gloria Steinem (1934–2026): How One Woman Shaped Modern Feminism
Overview
Gloria Steinem’s journey from a challenging childhood—caring for her mentally ill mother after her parents’ divorce—to becoming a global feminist icon was shaped by early hardships and transformative experiences in India, where she embraced Gandhian principles of grassroots activism. Facing gender barriers in journalism, she exposed workplace sexism through her undercover Playboy Bunny exposé, which led to real changes and fueled her activism. Steinem’s openness about her own abortion inspired her to challenge taboos and fight for women’s rights. Even after her passing in 2026, her legacy endures through academic honors and the continued work of organizations she inspired.