Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Happy Birthday to Gloria Steinem!




The MWPC wishes a very special Happy 80th Birthday to the mother of feminism, Gloria Steinem!

In a time when women had no voice, Steinem stood up for the rights of women. She rose to national prominence as the leader and media spokeswoman for the women's liberation movement in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. She co-founded the National Women's Political Caucus, and the feminist-themed magazine Ms., among countless other accomplishments. For the last 40 years, Steinem has dedicated her life to campaigns furthering progress on a number of issues including the Equal Rights Amendment, equal marriage, and access to abortion.

She has courageously battled stereotypes so women everywhere have access to equal economic opportunities, and become powerful forces in the 21st century. Women everywhere owe a debt of gratitude to her for leading the way and most importantly, never giving up the fight. 

Back when women in the the public spotlight tended to shy away from publicly celebrating their birthday after 30, Steinem used it to her advantage. Starting at age 40, she has thrown a birthday party every 10 years that doubles as a fundraiser for various organizations around the globe. This year she’ll hold a “This is what 80 looks like” benefit for the Shalom Center in Philadelphia. 

What other plans does she have to celebrate her birthday? “First, get out of Dodge”, she tells the New York Times, “Second, ride elephants in Botswana.” After all she’s done for women around the world, she deserves it!


"The future depends entirely on what each of us does every day."
- Gloria Steinem