Gloria Steinem

Gloria Steinem

Gloria Steinem is a political activist and writer, most famously known for her work in the 1960s and 1970s. During this time, Steinem advocated for women’s rights and became a symbol for the feminist movement. 

Gloria Steinem pictured in her Playboy costume

Steinem first gained publicity for her exposé of the New York Playboy Club in the article ‘A Bunny’s Tale’ published in 1963 by Show magazine. For her article, she went undercover and began working as a Playboy bunny at a club. During her time working here she found out the disgusting working conditions and demands that a Bunny faced from their employers. As well as having to pay for the upkeep of costumes and have regular tests for venereal disease, women who worked at the club also had to abide to strict rules otherwise they were punished with demerits which could end up leading to a dismissal.

In the article Steinem wrote “Chewing gum or eating while on duty is ten demerits for the first offense, 20 for the second and dismissal for the third.”[1] At the time Playboy Bunnies were considered very glamourous and a way for young women to gain independence and earn money in the 1960s. However, Steinem’s work demonstrates that the freedom that was advertised for women was in reality not liberating at all.

Steinem also spoke about abortion in the 1960s and the importance of making your own decisions about your body. Abortion is a very controversial topic even today and so Steinem sharing her experience of it at a time when a lot of people were against it was very empowering and brave. Steinem had an abortion at the age of 22 when it was still illegal to undergo the procedure. Many people feel abortion is something to feel guilty about and hide but she never saw it in that way and said “I knew it was the first time I had taken responsibility for my own life. I wasn't going to let things happen to me. I was going to direct my life, and therefore it felt positive.”[2] During this time, it was recognised that the role of a woman was to be a wife and have children. However, Steinem proved that this was not always what had to happen and that you could choose what you wanted to do in life instead of being forced into a position you didn’t want to be in. 

Gloria Steinem in 2013 getting her Presidential medal of 

Freedom from President Barack Obama

Gloria Steinem proved via her political activism that although the 1960s was a sexual revolution and allowed women to see sex in a way which had not been allowed in previous decades, it did not mean that they were liberated. The fact that women were now able to explore their sexuality only meant it was possible for men to exploit it, which is what happened at the Playboy Clubs. The clubs were advertised for women to earn a good living yet constantly deducted wages and allowed men to harass and objectify them. Steinem managed to illustrate the negative side to the sexual revolution and also brought more light to the topic of abortion. Instead of hiding her abortion, she spoke openly about it, allowing abortion to become less of a taboo subject. Her activism helped change the way women viewed themselves and enabled them to live the lives they wanted to lead.

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References 

[1] Steinem, Gloria, ‘A Bunny’s Tale’, Show, May 1963

[2] Cooke, Rachel, ‘Gloria Steinem: 'I think we need to get much angrier'’, The Guardian, 13/11/11, https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/nov/13/gloria-steinem-interview-feminism-abortion, 22/11/17

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