An Evening with Gloria Steinem

“We’re all trying to overthrow the patriarchy, racism, monotheism, a few little things like that!”

By Nina Raemont

The Northrop audience buzzed with excitement as they awaited an extremely special discussion to occur before them. Every seat within the auditorium had been unsurprisingly sold out, and for good reason. After all, it isn’t everyday that a writer, an activist, and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom speaks before a room of Minnesotans. Now, if you read all of that and happen to think that I was speaking of three separate individuals—think again, because that was just the description of a single historical icon, and her name is Gloria Steinem. 

Steinem has lived 85 years upon this earth, and within those years she has made a prominent figure of herself—not only as an activist, or a journalist, or a leader of human rights, but as all of the above and more. At 34, Steinem co-founded “New York Magazine” and wrote her own column, “The City Politic.” At 37, Steinem founded “Ms. Magazine,” a feminist publication that would act as a mouthpiece for the second-wave feminist movement. After five bestselling books, a handful of documentaries, and the creation of multiple human rights foundations, Gloria Steinem became a household name among political activists, feminists, and “New York Magazine” readers alike. 

Anyone with a shred of faith in the power of journalism as a tool for political change would be inspired by the mere existence of Gloria Steinem. In fact, each presenter of the night made a point to demonstrate their gratuity over this monumental occasion. Even Dean Bloomberg of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, touched upon Steinem’s impact on her who, as a little girl, was a devout reader of “Ms. Magazine.” It was evident that many of the audience members as well as the presenters had been inspired by Steinem’s work. 

Once her name was announced, Steinem walked onstage sporting black leather pants and a red blazer while the audience clapped and stood for a moment of appreciation. Steinem, a very humble soul, didn’t absorb the long series of applause; she, too, was clapping, but for the audience! As if we had done any of the historically impactful things that she had, Steinem appreciated our support, and that simple applause was her demonstration of it.

The questions of the night were derived both from moderator Kerri Miller as well as audience-generated submissions. Steinem answered questions about our current political climate, indigenous rights, and the importance of voting, and she spoke about how inequality between men and women originates within the idea that women are the primary caretakers of the household. The social norm of a woman providing for her entire family, as well as women being subjected to this thousand-year role, disables us to see women as matriarchs in other roles. She believed that if we desire female representation within positions of power, men must start doing an equal amount of caretaking within the family. If we do not see men and women as equals in our own house, we are unable to see men and women as equals in the White House. Lastly, she touched upon the dilemma that is The Donald: She tied the 2016 election results back to the ways in which the imbalance of power between genders has made women not vote in the interest of themselves, but rather the interest of their husbands. 

What I found most compelling about this event was what was beneath Steinem’s words. Here we have a woman who has spent the entirety of her life learning about the inequality that exists within our world, yet in these moments, past and present, she still had the will for change. So much of the time, we see our current political situation as the be-all and end-all of humanity and democracy as we know it, and yes, the moment we currently live in requires an immense amount of collective mobilization for change. Among the political polarization and oppression that faces our country, Steinem calmly sits in her armchair and speaks to an audience of thousands with hope in her voice. But it isn’t blind hope. It is hope built on the foundation of action, understanding, and dedication to causes worth supporting. Maybe, as we grow older, that is all that matters: truly believing in things, and supporting them for what they are, discovering the truth, and finding your voice. Gloria Steinem is a testament to all of that and beyond.

I left this lecture thinking about the current media climate for women like myself: budding journalists who have lots to say about the world, but at times don’t feel as though their voice is heard. Many of the values I hold near to my heart─those of representation, equality, and the power of the written word─are those that Steinem does too. Who would have known I had so much in common with an 85 year old woman? And who would have known an audience of 3,000 did too?