Gloria Steinem dies at 92, ending a career that helped shape modern American feminism. The journalist, Ms. magazine co-founder and women's rights organizer spent decades advocating for gender equality, reproductive rights and women's political participation.
Gloria Steinem, the influential journalist, author and feminist organizer who became one of the most prominent voices of the U.S. women's rights movement, has died at 92.
Steinem died at her home in New York City on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, according to her foundation. A cause of death was not disclosed.
A defining voice in the U.S. women's rights movement
Steinem emerged as a nationally recognized figure during the social and political changes of the late 1960s and 1970s, combining journalism with organizing and advocacy.
Her work helped bring issues including workplace discrimination, reproductive rights, domestic violence and gender equality into broader American political and cultural debate.
Steinem co-founded Ms. magazine, which launched in the early 1970s and became an influential publication covering women's rights and feminist issues. She also helped establish the National Women's Political Caucus in 1971, an organization created to increase women's participation in politics.
From journalism to feminist activism
Born in Toledo, Ohio, on March 25, 1934, Steinem graduated from Smith College before spending time in India on a fellowship.
She drew national attention in 1963 after going undercover as a Playboy Bunny to report on the working conditions experienced by women employed at a Playboy Club.
Her journalism later focused increasingly on politics, civil rights and social movements. By the end of the 1960s, she had become deeply involved in the women's movement and developed a national profile as both a writer and organizer.
Gloria Steinem's books and national recognition
Steinem continued writing, speaking and advocating for equality for decades. Her books included the 2015 memoir “My Life on the Road,” which reflected on her experiences traveling, organizing and meeting activists across the United States and elsewhere.
In 2013, President Barack Obama awarded Steinem the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.
A legacy across journalism and American feminism
Steinem's influence extended beyond individual organizations. Her journalism and activism helped shape public discussion about women's political representation, workplace equality, reproductive freedom and gender discrimination.
Her death closes a career spanning more than six decades, but the publications, organizations and movements she helped build remain part of the continuing national debate over women's rights and equality in the United States.
