Gloria Steinem was born in Toledo, Ohio. She earned a bachelor’s degree in government at Smith College then began a career in journalism. She worked as a contributing editor and political columnist for New York magazine, where she reported on the feminist movement. In the 1960s Steinem emerged as a leading figure in the women’s movement. She also protested against the Vietnam War and racism in American society. Steinem helped found the Women’s Action Alliance in 1970 and the National Women’s Political Caucus in 1971. The following year, she began publishing Ms., a magazine that brought women’s issues to national attention. Steinem became president of Voters for Choice, a bipartisan political action committee that supported candidates who worked for reproductive freedom. She also founded the Ms. Foundation for Women, which supported grassroots projects to empower women and girls. Steinem also wrote several books, including Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions (1983), Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem (1992), and Moving Beyond Words (1994).
