It is safe to say that writer, lecturer, political activist, animal rights advocate, and feminist organizer Gloria Steinem altered America’s course as a nation and improved the lives of women worldwide.
Steinem helped found many equal rights groups and organizations throughout her career, including the Women’s Action Alliance, the National Women’s Political Caucus, Voters for Choice, and Ms. Foundation for Women. She also won countless awards for her journalism work, and in 2013, President Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor.
“[E]verything we do matters. If we all support each other in our dream of justice and kindness – and we reflect that dream in our daily acts – we can each be our own Rosa Parks.”
But it wasn’t only women’s rights that Steinem championed – a vegetarian, she also advocated for animals’ rights. When Steinem found out that one of the sponsors of a fundraising event she planned to attend subjected primates to cruel experiments, she asked that the company be immediately disassociated from the event, and it was. Steinem released a statement saying, “Animal abuse is so connected to domestic abuse — literally in a household, but societally in a more general way, too.”By doing so, she highlighted that cruelty to animals is a part of a larger issue of oppression and violence.
Steinem also used her powerful pen to demand that the NIH stop subjecting animals to excruciating experiments that were supposedly conducted in the name of advancing women’s health. As part of PETA’s campaign against the experiments, Steinem wrote in a letter to NIH, “I am adding my voice to others calling for an end to these and other cruel and useless experiments—on behalf of the animals who are being pointlessly made to suffer and die, on behalf of women whose health concerns are starved for funds, and on behalf of taxpayers who are being defrauded.”
Besides defending animals and spearheading the modern feminist movement, Steinem co-founded Ms. Magazine, helped start New York Magazine, produced an Emmy Award-winning TV documentary and feature film, and traveled the world documenting women’s stories and tirelessly raising awareness about equal rights. Her writing has been featured in the top publications around the world, and the books she authored were best-sellers. Steinem will always be remembered for her immeasurable contributions to society, compassion, fearlessness, and perseverance in fighting for equality.
“Gloria Steinem understands that everyone, whatever skin they’re in and whether they have fur, fins, or feathers, deserves to live free from exploitation, suffering, and discrimination. PETA encourages everyone to honor her legacy by showing solidarity across species lines and condemning the subjugation of any living being.” —Ingrid Newkirk
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