Women's Center

Gloria Steinem, who was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, is a writer, lecturer, editor, and activist who has been involved in feminist and other social justice movements for over 40 years. She travels globally as an organizer and lecturer and is a frequent media spokeswoman on issues of equality. Ms. Steinem graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Smith College in 1956, and then spent two years in India on a Chester Bowles Fellowship, where she wrote for Indian publications and was influenced by Gandhian activism.

In 1968, Ms. Steinem helped to found New York magazine, where she was a political columnist and features writer. She also was published in Esquire, The New York Times Magazine, numerous women's magazines and publications in other countries. In 1972, she co-founded Ms. magazine, remained one of its editors for 15 years and continues to serve as a consulting editor.

Her books include the bestsellers Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem, Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, Moving Beyond Words, and Marilyn: Norma Jean, on the life of Marilyn Monroe. Her writing also appears in many anthologies and textbooks, and she was an editor of The Reader's Companion to U.S. Women's History.

Ms. Steinem helped to found the Women's Action Alliance and the National Women's Political Caucus. She also co-founded the Women's Media Center and Voters for Choice, and is co-founder and board member of Choice USA. Ms. Steinem was the founding president of the Ms. Foundation for Women, and also a founder of its “Take Our Daughters to Work Day,” the first national day devoted to girls that has become a worldwide institution.

Ms. Steinem has received numerous journalism awards, national magazine awards, an Emmy Citation for excellence in television writing and most recently, the University of Missouri School of Journalism Award for Distinguished Service in Journalism.

Among the honors for her work as an activist are the first Doctorate of Human Justice by Simmons College, the Bill of Rights Award from the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, the National Gay Rights Advocates Award, the Liberty Award of the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, and the Ceres Medal from the United Nations. Parenting magazine selected her for its Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995 for her work in promoting girls' self-esteem, and Biography magazine listed her as one of the 25 most influential women in America.

In 1993, Ms. Steinem was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.  She has been the subject of two biographical television documentaries, and a biography, The Education of a Woman by Carolyn Heilbrun.

Ms. Steinem lives in New York City and is working on her next book: Road to the Heart: America as if Everyone Mattered, in which she will reflect on her 30+ years on the road as a feminist organizer. In addition, she is working with the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College on a project to document the grassroots origins of the U.S. women's movement.