Excerpt from the New Yorker magazine’s Special Edition of their newsletter, September 3, 2026.  Steinem, age 92, passed away on September 2, 2026.  This essay encapsulates the wisdom gained from her 50 years as a champion of equal rights for women.

“. . . For me, saying that I am a feminist has always meant that I believe in the social, economic, and political equality of all males and females of all races and groups. I know this sounds too simple to need a word, but equality is still the exception, not the rule.

Maybe we should call it egalitarianism, or even humanism. The problem with humanism is that it is often interpreted as being anti-religion, so I don’t think it’s inclusive enough. Regardless of what we call it, it just means treating each of us as uniquely human. The experiences of race and gender and class are very real and important, but they are also constructed and changeable. Our humanity is consistent and sacred. . . . “