I liked that Steinem stood up for kids against our mass sexual abuse by internet pornographers. I’ll never get over the feeling of betrayal that everyone I know buried their heads on the sand on that issue.
I always thought she was intellectually bankrupt. Then she proved it when she caved in to the T-crowd. When you buy into a slogan ("Trans women are women") you have proven to the world that you are both intellectually and morally bankrupt. It's essentially treason to the feminist movement. The fact that she and her defenders "don't see it that way" is simply evidence of a drift into subjectivity for the sake of avoiding being accused of "punching down." Amazing that she spent nearly her entire adult life fighting hierarchical structures that were being enforced against women from above, and then she ended her career fighting for a hierarchical structure that is being enforced against women from below. I look at that and the first thing that comes to mind is: she wasn't very intelligent.
Human nature. Lots of people can be bamboozled. It doesn't mean they're not intelligent. It means they got taken. We can all get taken by something or other at some point in our lives. Then we look back and think, "What the hell was I thinking?!"
I was never much of a fan, but certainly can acknowledge her contributions as you have enumerated them. Too bad she fell for the tranz b.s. Feminism lost me when murdering your child became the litmus test.
Yes, there is THAT aspect of her legacy. What an “achievement.”👇🏼
News of her demise spun up a pic of her (not sure what year) sporting a beaming smile and a T-shirt emblazoned with “I Had An Abortion!” Tell me THAT’s not despicable.
100% correct Jen and thank you for this thoughtful, nuanced piece. I have stated this elsewhere but it cannot be stated enough: Gloria Steinem was a critical part of the Women’s Rights Movement in the 60’s & 70’s. You don’t have to like everything she stood for to understand that all women owe her a debt of gratitude. She was fiercely brave in her work, shining a light on how women were treated in the workplace. Things we take for granted today, simply didn’t exist- equal pay for equal work, financial independence from your father or husband , being treated with the same respect and dignity as men in the workplace, etc. I am very disappointed that she lost her fearlessness later in life as it relates to transgender ideology. Although, I suspect it is less about her “evolving”, as the Trans Mob likes to state, and more about someone who was concerned about her legacy later in life and possible “cancellation” by the far left. It’s hard now to find The transcript online of her famous piece in Ms. Magazine, “If the Shoe Doesn’t Fit, Change The Foot”. But at the time she was very clear about the problems with Transsexualism from a social perspective as well as the exploitative nature from a commercial perspective. So she knew the harms and I doubt she changed her mind so that is disappointing and cannot be overlooked when writing her legacy. But we can recognize the invaluable work she did over a very long career while also understanding she betrayed the movement she helped to create on the subject of “trans”. And all that said, I will not become the thing I loathe about the Trans Mob and simply cancel Ms. Steinem because she got that wrong later in life. I am still very grateful. Rest in peace Ms. Steinem. 💙
Excellent, thoughtful piece. Someone just accused me this week of being “on a soapbox” about this issue. I told her I thought that was a good thing. More women should be on a soapbox. Famous Bonhoeffer quote: Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. I recently read an article in The Hill about male prisoners being housed in MCI-Framingham, Massachusetts’ women’s prison. Very disturbing to say the least with many inmates too afraid to speak. That our leaders could perpetrate this situation is extraordinary and outrageous.
Good on you! And, I second the notion that we don’t have to like everything about someone to think they are important and inspiring and can help move us all forward.
Yes, Steinem was a hero for me as a sexually harassed young woman growing up in the 1980’s. Her message helped me stay strong and true to my beliefs. Like you I was very disappointed when she chose men over women but I still honour what she did for me and all women. ❤️
I've always had mixed reactions to Gloria Steinem. I've also experienced sexual harassment, groping and been insulted by arrogant men. I've also been insulted by arrogant women, who tell me I should not have put myself into the position of financial risk of 7 years at home raising my two sons. These women would also tell me the husband who "came out as trans" when our sons were 5 and 8 is "oppressed," and I need to understand he's expressing his true self. When I mentioned he often uses language to imply that he's me, the mother, they'll then tell me I've let that happen. I can't overlook Steinem's embrace of men like my ex-husband. But then, the entire fields of psychology and medicine veered into cult validation on that front. It just seems to me that Gloria was too smart to have the wool pulled over her eyes by these crossdressers.
TBH, I didn't follow Steinem closely and was not aware of her position on trans issues. But I am very familiar with Billie Jean King and totally agree with Martina Navratilova who says Billie Jean's accepting trans positions don't square with all the effort she put into pushing Title IX. I celebrate all of King's work for equality for women but am baffled that she would advocate allowing men to participate and dominate in the women's/girl's category.
Thanks for your perspective. I never paid a whole lot of attention to her as she seemed to be speaking to, idk, white, American, housewife types & I’ve always been sort of dykish & rebellious (housewifery was never on my horizon). But obviously she spoke to a large segment of women so I can give kudos. As for being disappointed with her trans stance, well, in retrospect it’s easy to find fault with anyone. No one’s perfect, right?!
"We are linked, not ranked" is quite an interesting way to describe women. Maybe it's an indication of a fundamental difference between the sexes, since it seems ranking ourselves is what men do best.
Gloria Steinem was a cia stooge and a hypocrite. She promoted single motherhood and singleness for the working class but was always married to wealthy men.
I liked that Steinem stood up for kids against our mass sexual abuse by internet pornographers. I’ll never get over the feeling of betrayal that everyone I know buried their heads on the sand on that issue.
This was a really thoughtful piece Jennifer. Thank you for writing it and for sharing both your own experiences from afar and up close.
I always thought she was intellectually bankrupt. Then she proved it when she caved in to the T-crowd. When you buy into a slogan ("Trans women are women") you have proven to the world that you are both intellectually and morally bankrupt. It's essentially treason to the feminist movement. The fact that she and her defenders "don't see it that way" is simply evidence of a drift into subjectivity for the sake of avoiding being accused of "punching down." Amazing that she spent nearly her entire adult life fighting hierarchical structures that were being enforced against women from above, and then she ended her career fighting for a hierarchical structure that is being enforced against women from below. I look at that and the first thing that comes to mind is: she wasn't very intelligent.
Human nature. Lots of people can be bamboozled. It doesn't mean they're not intelligent. It means they got taken. We can all get taken by something or other at some point in our lives. Then we look back and think, "What the hell was I thinking?!"
I was never much of a fan, but certainly can acknowledge her contributions as you have enumerated them. Too bad she fell for the tranz b.s. Feminism lost me when murdering your child became the litmus test.
Yes, there is THAT aspect of her legacy. What an “achievement.”👇🏼
News of her demise spun up a pic of her (not sure what year) sporting a beaming smile and a T-shirt emblazoned with “I Had An Abortion!” Tell me THAT’s not despicable.
To each her own, I guess.
https://reproductivefreedomforall.org/news/reproductive-freedom-for-all-honors-the-life-and-legacy-of-gloria-steinem/
100% correct Jen and thank you for this thoughtful, nuanced piece. I have stated this elsewhere but it cannot be stated enough: Gloria Steinem was a critical part of the Women’s Rights Movement in the 60’s & 70’s. You don’t have to like everything she stood for to understand that all women owe her a debt of gratitude. She was fiercely brave in her work, shining a light on how women were treated in the workplace. Things we take for granted today, simply didn’t exist- equal pay for equal work, financial independence from your father or husband , being treated with the same respect and dignity as men in the workplace, etc. I am very disappointed that she lost her fearlessness later in life as it relates to transgender ideology. Although, I suspect it is less about her “evolving”, as the Trans Mob likes to state, and more about someone who was concerned about her legacy later in life and possible “cancellation” by the far left. It’s hard now to find The transcript online of her famous piece in Ms. Magazine, “If the Shoe Doesn’t Fit, Change The Foot”. But at the time she was very clear about the problems with Transsexualism from a social perspective as well as the exploitative nature from a commercial perspective. So she knew the harms and I doubt she changed her mind so that is disappointing and cannot be overlooked when writing her legacy. But we can recognize the invaluable work she did over a very long career while also understanding she betrayed the movement she helped to create on the subject of “trans”. And all that said, I will not become the thing I loathe about the Trans Mob and simply cancel Ms. Steinem because she got that wrong later in life. I am still very grateful. Rest in peace Ms. Steinem. 💙
Thank you for writing about her.
Excellent, thoughtful piece. Someone just accused me this week of being “on a soapbox” about this issue. I told her I thought that was a good thing. More women should be on a soapbox. Famous Bonhoeffer quote: Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. I recently read an article in The Hill about male prisoners being housed in MCI-Framingham, Massachusetts’ women’s prison. Very disturbing to say the least with many inmates too afraid to speak. That our leaders could perpetrate this situation is extraordinary and outrageous.
Good on you! And, I second the notion that we don’t have to like everything about someone to think they are important and inspiring and can help move us all forward.
Yes, Steinem was a hero for me as a sexually harassed young woman growing up in the 1980’s. Her message helped me stay strong and true to my beliefs. Like you I was very disappointed when she chose men over women but I still honour what she did for me and all women. ❤️
I've always had mixed reactions to Gloria Steinem. I've also experienced sexual harassment, groping and been insulted by arrogant men. I've also been insulted by arrogant women, who tell me I should not have put myself into the position of financial risk of 7 years at home raising my two sons. These women would also tell me the husband who "came out as trans" when our sons were 5 and 8 is "oppressed," and I need to understand he's expressing his true self. When I mentioned he often uses language to imply that he's me, the mother, they'll then tell me I've let that happen. I can't overlook Steinem's embrace of men like my ex-husband. But then, the entire fields of psychology and medicine veered into cult validation on that front. It just seems to me that Gloria was too smart to have the wool pulled over her eyes by these crossdressers.
TBH, I didn't follow Steinem closely and was not aware of her position on trans issues. But I am very familiar with Billie Jean King and totally agree with Martina Navratilova who says Billie Jean's accepting trans positions don't square with all the effort she put into pushing Title IX. I celebrate all of King's work for equality for women but am baffled that she would advocate allowing men to participate and dominate in the women's/girl's category.
Thanks for your perspective. I never paid a whole lot of attention to her as she seemed to be speaking to, idk, white, American, housewife types & I’ve always been sort of dykish & rebellious (housewifery was never on my horizon). But obviously she spoke to a large segment of women so I can give kudos. As for being disappointed with her trans stance, well, in retrospect it’s easy to find fault with anyone. No one’s perfect, right?!
Well stated, my resistance to feminism was when working women were ranked higher than stay at home mothers, raising their children.
"We are linked, not ranked" is quite an interesting way to describe women. Maybe it's an indication of a fundamental difference between the sexes, since it seems ranking ourselves is what men do best.
Excellent, thoughtful, nuanced essay. Thank you, Jennifer.
Gloria Steinem was a cia stooge and a hypocrite. She promoted single motherhood and singleness for the working class but was always married to wealthy men.
As an aside, Mothers in the US are in grave danger: https://morganc000.substack.com/p/the-lindsey-clancy-psyop?r=99h3x&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web