Begin Again
happy birthday to you
Not a Mrs.
Not a Miss.
Ms. Gloria Steinem is ahead of me in age, but we share a birthday month and the sign of Aries. During the 1970s, she wore bellbottoms, cool belts and aviator glasses—looked great with her mane of long sandy hair. Along with being smart and sure of herself, Gloria was (is) a woman to look up to. Aging along with the rest of us, she is 92 now and plans to live to 100.
I often find collage images in vintage magazines. Sometimes the articles show me priceless bits of history. While clearing out some old files, I found a few of such ripped pages—an article from 1971 titled The Feminine Mistake (a play on Betty Friedan’s 1966 bestseller, The Feminine Mystique) by journalist, Helen Lawrenson. The Esquire piece is subtitled…There are two kinds of women: liberated women and the other kind.
It was the era of women’s liberation (lib), a phrase we hear little of these days and the slang word, lib, has been overused in the worst ways. Anyone can see the article, full of dated ideas. Esquire maintains a complete archive on their website. The issue features two illustrations by a regular contributing artist, Alain Aslan (1930-2014). Known for his work as a pinup artist, these manage to portray an especially unflattering look at the feminist woman.
There was a lot of debate and confusion back then around women’s lives, but Gloria attempted to straighten things out with her new magazine in 1972. Simply named, Ms.
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I heard her speak at an event in 2013 and wrote this brief review…
AN EVENING WITH GLORIA STEINEM: Human Rights, Consciousness, Change
The highly-charged atmosphere at UB Center for the Arts on May 1st was a celebration and fundraiser to mark the 80th year of Planned Parenthood of Western New York: Without access, there is no choice. The large crowd was populated by men and women of all ages, but many were women of my era who witnessed the women’s liberation movement of the 1960s and beyond.
The audience greeted the legendary featured speaker to the stage with a standing ovation. Gloria Steinem is a writer, lecturer, editor, and feminist activist—an icon of the second wave of the women’s rights movement. She is most known as co-founder of Ms. Magazine in 1972. The publication translated the feminist movement into print at a time when assumptions about the role of women was being challenged. Feminism is many things, but it is generally concerned with a commitment to offering women the same rights as men and reorganizing society so that the well-being of people takes precedence over imperialism, economic expansion, and material desires.
I began to tune into this idea as a SUNY Oswego student in the early 1970s. For the first time, young women had an opportunity to step away from of the boundaries of traditional roles. Without a map, that was often confusing. Following traditions simplifies life—discovering personal freedom requires invention. Ms. Magazine and feminist authors provided guidance. While marriage and motherhood after college was still the norm during the mid-1970s, the feminist view offered alternatives. Pursuit of personal development, work, and pleasure was suddenly an option. The central issue continues to be challenged today.
Steinem’s talk revolved around reproductive freedom, as she considers this to be the most important human right—one that is not yet realized. The title of the event sounds like one from forty years ago, yet the words also appear on the cover of the Winter 2013 issue of Ms.
Margaret Sanger established the first birth control clinic in Brooklyn during 1916. The Family Relations Institute opened in Buffalo on Niagara Street during 1933. The name was later changed to Planned Parenthood Center of Buffalo. Now called Planned Parenthood of Western New York, the organization has grown to offer preventative health care in five locations across the region, as well as a mobile clinic.
“It’s not about biology—it’s about consciousness,” Steinem emphasized. Raising awareness is always the beginning of intentional change.
She touched on many topics during her brief time on stage, but she was especially hopeful about this very moment. She explained the historical significance of our time as the population continues to diversify. “We are about to be free of white male hierarchy and the potential for hostile responses to this change also makes this a dangerous time.”
We are linked not ranked.
This takeaway message from the talk is her view is that women’s rights are essentially human rights.
During the Q&A, an intentional unfeminist question was posed in jest—something about how Gloria manages to look so good. The audience laughter indicated some shared curiosity about her answer. At 79, Steinem maintains her signature mane of hair and youthful urban style. “I do what I love,” she answered, and told the audience that she aspires to live to be 100.
I live in the future—if we understand the why of things, we can change it.
Living with purpose is clearly good for longevity. Gloria Steinem’s humanist and holistic view is refreshing. The audience buzzed with an uplifted mood as they streamed out into the balmy spring night. I would have enjoyed hearing more insights and stories. I wonder what she might have to say about the impact of reproductive choice on a generation of women who are now aging. How are young women (and men) integrating feminism into 21st-Century lives? The evolution of how we live together on the planet will continue to be a pressing concern for each one of us.
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Gloria warned the audience that we would be facing dangerous times because of the country’s growing diversity. During Women’s History Month, acknowledging the gains and protections women have been privileged to live with is especially meaningful. Forces to eliminate what has been taken for granted are real. Protecting human rights is an ongoing project.
I wrote about Gloria Steinem in an earlier Substack, and in honor of the 92nd birthday, People Magazine just published a look back on her accomplishments. She has done so much.
Another favorite woman is Rebecca Solnit. Her new book that I just loaded onto my Kindle adds hope to the dangerous times we are living through…The Beginning Comes After the End: Notes on a World of Change.
Moment by moment, we begin again.
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and many more!