Gloria Steinem, feminist campaigner and LGBTQ+ ally, dies aged 92

# What happened

Gloria Steinem died on 2 September 2026 at her home in New York City, aged 92. A statement shared to her Instagram said she passed away "surrounded by some of the many who loved her" and noted that she "continued working for equality until the very end."

# Who she was

Born in Ohio in 1934, Steinem became one of the most visible figures of second-wave feminism by bringing a feminist perspective into mainstream journalism and public life. The article notes she authored nine books and spent most of her life campaigning for causes she believed in.

# Major moments and campaigns

Over the following decades she campaigned on a range of issues: against female genital mutilation, domestic violence, the pornography industry, and the Vietnam and Gulf wars. She also used journalism, public speaking and books to push feminist ideas into broader public debates.

# Allyship and cross-movement work

Steinem was a public ally to LGBTQ+ causes and argued that feminists and gay activists had common opponents. At a National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association conference in the early 2000s she said: "It just makes sense that feminists and gays should be supportive of one another. After all, we're fighting the same enemies. The people who don't want women's rights are pretty much the same people who don't want gay rights."

She also supported movements including Black Lives Matter and Times Up, linking feminist struggle to wider fights for civil and human rights.

# Reputation and longevity

The Instagram statement and coverage describe a long life of public engagement. Steinem told the Observer in 2011, "I hope to live to 100. There is so much to do," a line that underlines how active she remained into her later years. Coverage across outlets emphasizes her role in bringing feminist issues to mass audiences through reporting, books and public appearances.

# What this means now

Steinem's death brings renewed attention to the tactics she used—investigative journalism, public speaking and coalition-building—plus the causes she prioritized. Her public support for LGBTQ+ rights and other allied movements is a reminder of the cross-movement alliances many activists built over the last half-century.

# Further reading and context