Gloria Steinem on Abortion Rights and Democracy
Feminist icon Gloria Steinem, who died at 92, argued that reproductive freedom is the foundation of democracy and detailed her response to being called a
Gloria Steinem, the author and feminist icon who died this week at age 92, argued that reproductive freedom is the core of democracy. In past interviews and emails shared with Associated Press reporters, she consistently linked bodily autonomy to political freedom.
Steinem was typically blunt but laced her words with wit. For a 2019 compilation of her quotations, she chose the title: "The Truth Will Set You Free, But First It Will Piss You Off!"
On Reproductive Freedom and Sexism
She framed sexism as a tool for control, not an inevitability. "We know sexism is not inevitable," Steinem said in May 2016. "It's only about controlling reproduction and therefore controlling women." She believed the ability to reverse sexism hinged on reproductive freedom. This meant the power for individuals to decide when and whether to have children.
For Steinem, this freedom was a democratic essential. Reacting to the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, she stated, "Obviously, without the right of women and men to make decisions about our own bodies, there is no democracy." She predicted the ruling would not stop abortion but would instead guarantee civil disobedience and disrespect for the court.
On the Language of Abortion Politics
She rejected the framing of the debate as 'pro-abortion' versus 'anti-abortion.' In May 2017, Steinem called the term 'pro-abortion' ridiculous. "Nobody wakes up in the morning and says, 'I think I'll have an abortion. It's a pleasurable experience,'" she said. For her, the central question was who holds decision-making power: a woman and her physician, or the government.
On America's Political Landscape
Steinem pointed out that the United States is an outlier among democracies for never having elected a female leader. "That's kind of ridiculous," she remarked in March 2026. "I mean, we're choosing from half the country's talent."
On Personal Resilience
She shared advice on handling personal attacks. "It took me years to learn what to do when someone calls you a bitch," Steinem said in July 2020. Her learned response was to smile in a calm, triumphant way and simply say, "Thank you!"
Reflecting on her unconventional childhood, she described traveling with her family in a house trailer during winters. Because she was always reading books in the back seat, her family considered that sufficient schooling until she reached the sixth grade. On the difficulty of writing, she noted in October 2015 that true writers often procrastinate. "If you're a writer and you really care about writing, you put it off," she said. "You wax the floor."
