(Rex)
When it comes to the history of feminism, I don’t think a name has been referenced more than the face of Second Wave Feminism herself: Gloria Marie Steinem. Writer, reporter, editor, producer, activist, public speaker, government mole, undercover Playboy bunny. Her stepson is freakin’ Batman [Christian Bale]. She is almost every woman. Next to maybe Angela Davis and Gloria’s former activism partner Dorothy Pitman Hughes, no one during Women’s Liberation made more headlines than Ms. Steinem in the 1960s-70s. But why do we refer to the Midwesterner the most when it comes to women’s rights and its mid-20th century movement? Part of it is because Gloria has been publicly active so long, she has many periods of her career that stand out. Those over 50 might associate her with co-founding the women’s publication Ms. Magazine in 1972, others think of her many public speeches and appearances at feminist rallies and political events. She has penned articles and books, and articles and books have been penned about her. But I think out of everything, two moments from Gloria’s legendary career are noted the most. One is when she wrote a popular 1963 exposé called ‘A Bunny’s Tale’ for Show Magazine on the ridiculous and unfair working conditions for the ‘bunnies’ at various Playboy Clubs; after the brunette went undercover as a bunny herself for her research. The huge attention over the article even pressured Hugh Hefner enough to make sure the young women employed at the clubs weren’t coerced or exploited sexually. The other is Gloria’s 1978 racy, satirical essay titled ‘If Men Could Menstruate’ for Cosmopolitan Magazine, where she theorizes examples of how the menstrual cycle wouldn’t be taboo if the male species also experienced it.
(via youtube.com)
Still, plenty of other feminists have made their own marks in in the media similar to how Gloria did. Like Betty Friedan, author of the revolutionary 1963 book The Feminine Mystique; or Aussie journalist and documentarian Irina Dunn, who once famously said: “A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.” Ironically, this quote is sometimes mistakenly attributed to Gloria. But we rarely ever see as much press of Betty and Irina as we do Gloria. It could be because the lady has a lot of natural poise and charisma. She knows how to work the room and a stage. But another thing I think helped Gloria’s rise to the top is her good looks. Similar to peers like movie star Jane Fonda or singer Joan Baez, Gloria has beauty to go with her world class brain. When the writer is portrayed on screen, usually attractive actresses are cast. Kirstie Alley in Karen Arthur’s A Bunny’s Tale (1985), Rose Byrne in FX’s “Mrs. America” (2020), Alicia Vikander and Julianne Moore in Julie Taymor’s The Glorias (2020). Not to be shallow, but I do wonder how famous Gloria would be on her own if she wasn’t pretty. A lot of people probably don’t even realize she was already 29 when she exposed Playboy, and in her late 30s and early 40s while running Ms. Magazine. But she comes across so effortlessly cool and composed in a way that’s not too jaded or bitter. It’s no wonder Playboy’s HR didn’t think she was suspiciously out of place while applying to be a bunny.
(ABC / FX / Roadside Attractions)
What I like about Gloria is that she’s not afraid to speak her mind, but can also admit when she was wrong. In 1977, she initially spoke of sex reassignment surgery negatively, stating it might be used as an example by bigots of what successful feminism might result in, or suggest that feminism isn’t needed anymore. But within the past decade, she’s publicly apologized to the LGBTQ community and openly supports trans rights. There are some things she’s stuck her guns all this time to though. Such as her criticism of the sexual politics in the porno industry or the misogyny and promiscuity associated with the rock music community. When Miloš Forman’s biopic The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) was released, some feminist public figures—including Gloria—slammed the movie; saying it was irresponsible for the filmmakers to portray the Hustler Magazine founder in a positive light after he was accused of chauvinism and sexual abuse. When infamous groupie Pamela des Barres’ popular memoir I’m with the Band was published in 1987, Gloria refused to share a talk show appearance with Pamela, suggesting the socialite was setting a bad example by promoting submissive behavior. These moments are a couple examples of how sex-positive feminism will probably always be divided between women.
(Yale Joel)
Only a couple of things really amuse me about Gloria. One is her dislike of the iconic Barbie doll, preferring the superpowerful Wonder Woman instead. The other is how anytime we get a new movie or special on the political legend, her love life is conveniently never acknowledged outside of her brief engagement in college and eventually marrying entrepreneur David Bale in 2000. There’s no doubt Gloria’s career and independence are important to her, and she’s definitely made the most of them. Especially when you consider Gloria’s own aunt, Pauline Perlmutter, was the head of the original Suffragette movement at the turn of the 20th century. While most of Gloria’s fellow feminists were either divorced or married, it was a shock when the world learned one of America’s most famous bachelorettes got hitched at 66; although only for three years until David’s sudden death in 2003. Yet at the same time I find it a little hard to buy Gloria as celibate for five decades and sense she most likely just wants to keep her relationship history private.
There are so many periods of Gloria’s life I haven’t even gotten into. Such as how the Independent Research Service, where she briefly operated as director of in 1958/59, was secretly funded and organized by the CIA. Or her cringe-inducing defense of President Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal in 1997. But I’ll quit while I’m ahead of myself so this piece doesn’t become TL;DR. As Ms. Steinem said that historic day in 1971 during the National Women’s Political Caucus founding in Washington DC: “This is not a simple reform. It really is a revolution.” Women’s Lib, Girl Power, Gender Equality, call it what you want. The revolution continues on.
Ugh