Steinem, Gloria (1934–)

American writer and feminist. Pronunciation: STY-nem. Born Gloria Marie Steinem, Mar 25, 1934, at Clark Lake, Michigan; dau. of Leo Steinem (antique dealer) and Ruth (Nuneviller) Steinem; Smith College, BA, 1956; m. David Bale (entre-preneur and political activist and father of actor Christian Bale), Sept 3, 2000 (died Dec 30, 2004); no children.

Best-known leader and speaker for the feminist movement during 1970s, who was a founder and editor of Ms. magazine, as well as a co-founder of the Ms. Foundation, Women's Action Alliance, and Women's Political Caucus, obtained 1st job in publishing (1960); earned 1st byline, Esquire magazine (1962); briefly became an undercover Playboy bunny to write article for Show (1963); served as staff writer for New York magazine (1968–72) and had regular column, "The City Politic"; wrote "After Black Power, Women's Liberation," award-winning article on the women's movement, for New York magazine (1969); covered the Harlem riots and the tumultuous Democratic National Convention in Chicago (1968); participated in the Women's Strike for Equality March (1969); served as editor of Ms., the 1st feminist women's magazine (1972–88); became one of the most well-known speakers for the feminist movement; was a major force behind language changes, coining the expression "reproductive rights" and pointing out that "battered woman" and "sexual harassment" were new terms for old ideas ("Ten years ago," she told audiences, "it was just called life"); was a visible presence in many cities where battles for the ERA were being waged; helped form the Coalition of Labor Union Women (1974); operated on for breast cancer (1986); left Ms. to write several books (1988); writings include A Thousand Indias (1957), The Beach Book (1963), Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions (1983), Marilyn (1986), Revolution from Within (1992) and Moving Beyond Words (1994).

See also Sondra Henry and Emily Taitz, One Woman's Power: A Biography of Gloria Steinem (Dillon, 1987); Carolyn G. Heilbrun, The Education of a Woman: The Life of Gloria Steinem (Dial, 1995); and Women in World History.