Why do we love Gloria? Say the word "feminist," and it's likely the first woman to pop into your mind is Gloria Steinem. A trailblazing, mold-breaking journalist, author, speaker, and activist, Gloria has been changing people's minds about who women can be for almost 40 years. Gloria began her journalism career in the late 1950s. Unable to find a writing job in New York—one Life magazine editor told her, "We don't want a pretty girl, we want a writer"—she eventually began freelancing. Building a name for herself among the New York magazine and television writing worlds, she was able, after ten years, to start covering the serious political stories she coveted. In 1968, she became a founding editor at New York magazine, finally getting to select her own stories and determine what she would cover. In the process of covering political activists, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Cesar Chavez, Gloria experienced a political awakening and realized that women were an oppressed group, as well. She began a tireless campaign to promote the "new feminism," an intertwined theory of women's empowerment as a civil rights issue, important to everyone, not just women themselves. She envisioned bridging the gap between women of different ages, classes, and races in a unified fight for equality. Having obtained an illegal abortion herself in England in the late 1950s, one of Gloria's primary concerns was the legalization of abortion, and she coined the term "reproductive freedom" in 1972, helping to shift the debate toward a woman's right to choose and putting women at the center of the issue for the first time. The magazine she helped found, Ms., set a standard in political journalism, eventually refusing to accept advertising at all, so as not to dilute its message. She has never stopped writing, speaking, and inspiring all people to treat everyone as human beings and to treat all human beings well. Biography: Born - March 25, 1934 Toledo, Ohio Achievements: Gloria graduated from Smith with the high honor of Phi Beta Kappa in 1956 and accepted the Chester Bowles Asian Fellowship to study in India for two years. Founding editor of New York magazine, 1968. With African-American activist Dorothy Pitman Hughes, formed Women's Action Alliance to develop women's educational programs in 1971. Founder of Ms. magazine in 1972. Named Woman of the Year in 1972 by McCall's magazine. Co-founder of several organizations, including the Ms. Foundation for Women, the National Women's Political Caucus (a nonpartisan organization that promotes pro-equality women candidates), the Coalition of Labor Union Women, Voters for Choice, and Women Against Pornography. In 1975, helped plan the women's agenda for the Democratic National Convention. In 1977, participated in the National Conference of Women in Houston, Texas. The conference was the first of its kind and served to publicize the number of feminist issues and draw attention to women's rights leaders. Was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York, in the fall of 1993. In her own words -- On feminism and self-esteem: "Feminism is simply the belief that women are full human beings." "Self-esteem is the only reliable source of revolution. Without it, you either continue to obey, or you exchange masters. Only with it does self-government and true democracy become possible. The civil rights movement knew that when black protesters chanted, "I am somebody."So did Steve Biko in South Africa, who was murdered for the power of his black pride movement. When women of any race do the same thing, we're either called selfish or killed with ridicule."   March 25   •   March 27 Home