how Gloria Steinem made her home the center of her life

 

Ms. Gloria Steinem began her journalism career in 1960 as the very first employee of Help! magazine, though she regarded her job as a freelance writer for Esquire as her "'first serious assignment.'" One of her most famous literary contributions was her 1963 expose about the experiences of so-called "Playboy Bunnies" at the New York Playboy Club. To write this article, she had to become an employee at the club and don the infamous bunny suit. In the piece, she explored the exploitative and sexually charged practices that she and her female coworkers experienced.

She went on to interview John Lennon for Cosmopolitan magazine, cover an abortion event for New York magazine, and even co-found a magazine called Ms. As Steinem's writing continued to walk the line of what was acceptable and unacceptable for the time, her identity transformed from journalist to activist. She continued to write and advocate for women until her death in 2026. She left the world being recognized as an icon for her consistent and innovative work. 

But how was Gloria Steinem's home the center of her life and work?

From 1967 until the time of her death, Steinem lived in an apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. She hosted the first meetings of Ms. magazine there. The luxurious home featured a spiral staircase, a private patio, and a guest room with a fireplace.

She was also known to host "'talking circles'" with prominent figures in the abode, the design of which was partially inspired by the work of female painter Frida Kahlo. In fact, her organization known as "Gloria's Foundation" was created to preserve her NYC home as a safe place for collaboration and idea sharing.

One constant remained in Gloria Steinem's life from the 60s onward. That was her home. She was not only dedicated to making it a place for herself, but also a place for others to nurse ideas and begin their own legacy-driven lives. The idea of the in-home talking circles began to come to Steinem when she discovered an old plaque on a London brownstone that described it as a place where women fought for the right to vote. This was all the more meaningful for the feminist icon as her grandmother also fought for women's rights and was president of the National Council of Jewish Women. 

Gloria Steinem learned what most people will never have the chance to: no one has to leave their home to have an impact; the home can be part of the impact.