Gloria Steinem can ultimately be said to be a leader of the feminist movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Her involvement in the movement shaped the way feminism is viewed in the USA today, especially considering her role in causes such as abortion, and women in journalism, specifically Ms. Magazine. While she was not solely responsible for any part of the Women’s movement, as she was part of different groups of women who “led” the movement, her influence is undeniable, and most certainly pivotal to how modern feminism is viewed today.
Second wave feminism came as a response to the reinstatement of the domestic role of women as women’s sole role in a post-World War Two society. A male centred society and the patriarchy were once again being accepted as the norm and perpetuated. Women’s opportunities were severely limited, and her narrative was prescribed to her.
Gloria Steinem was born the granddaughter of a committee member of the National Woman Suffrage Association, so activism and women’s rights had been tackled in her family far before she was born. Steinem’s parents split up early on in her life, resulting in her mother’s financial instability. Steinem later accredited her mother’s inability to keep a job to the hostile attitudes towards women in the workspace. In addition to this, her mother’s experiences with mental illness also exposed Steinem to social injustices that were pivotal in sparking her involvement in the feminist movements. It was these aspects of her life