DELAWARE / MARYLAND - Gloria Steinem, the journalist and feminist activist whose decades-long fight for women’s equality helped shape the women’s rights movement, has died at 92.
From her famous undercover investigation of the Playboy Club to helping launch Ms. magazine and the National Women’s Political Caucus, Steinem spent decades advocating for equality and women’s rights.
Steinem’s influence was felt by women who grew up watching her advocate for equality and political participation. In downtown Milton, Irene Diaz said Steinem’s death felt personal.
“Oh, I was very touched. I thought, oh, my God, thank God she lived this long because she had such a long life to inspire a lot of generations.”
Steinem also brought her message to Maryland, speaking at Salisbury University in 1996, one of many public appearances where she advocated for respect and equality.
Sherise Brewington, director of Delaware’s Office of Women’s Advancement and Advocacy, said Steinem’s determination remains an example for those continuing the fight today.
“I think that the thing that's very clear to me is that she never quit, she continued.”
The State of Delaware ratified the federal Equal Rights Amendment in 1972 and expanded sex-based equal rights protections to include race in 2020.
Brewington says the work Steinem championed is still not finished.
“Regrettably, we're seeing a number of issues. Our pay is still not equal," Brewington emphasized.
Sen. Chris Coons remembered her impact on his mother and countless other women during decades of social and political change. Throughout her life, Steinem wrote books, advocated for legislation and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
For women in Delaware who remember watching Steinem lead the fight for equality, her death is also a reminder that progress can be lost if not protected. Mary Ann Greene, a visitor at the Milton Library, said the next generation needs to carry that responsibility forward.
“Don't lose it all. Don’t let it go away. Get your independence and keep it", Green emphasized.
Steinem leaves behind a legacy that continues to be felt in Delaware and across the country. In lieu of flowers, Steinem had asked those wishing to honor her legacy to consider donating to the Gloria Steinem Foundation.
