Feminist Icon Gloria Steinem
Summary
Fresh Air host David B. Cowley honors Gloria Steinem, who died at 92, by revisiting her 1987 and 2015 interviews with Terry Gross. Steinem discusses founding Ms. magazine, her early activism, and her memoir My Life on the Road, including her first public account of an illegal abortion in England. She also reflects on her unconventional childhood, her mother’s depression, and her evolving perspective on aging and women’s liberation. The episode concludes with critic John Powers reviewing the film Coyote vs. Acme.
Topics discussed
Introduction to Gloria Steinem and her legacy
Founding Ms. Magazine and challenges with mainstream media
Feminist coverage in the 70s and the structure of Ms.
Salary structures and gender dynamics in the workplace
The personal is political and financial independence
Family history and the erasure of feminist legacy
Memoir dedication and the history of abortion rights
Personal anecdotes and the decision to have an abortion
Childhood on the road and her mother's mental health
Transition to 2015 interview and book dedication
Itinerant childhood, education, and views on money
Caring for her mother and entering formal school
Realizing women's rights and personal freedom
Creating a home and defying traditional gender roles
Reflections on breast cancer and aging as a woman
Life after 50 and the freedom from gender expectations
Steinem's death and transition to movie review
Review of the film Coyote vs. Acme
Fresh Air credits
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