Though the feminist movement witnessed a number of media contributions, few were quite as visible as the widely publicized personality that was Gloria Steinem. Oddly, feminists themselves are somewhat torn on their feelings toward Steinem. While some saw her as wildly influential and helpful, others were bothered by the fact that she was the sole figure speaking for an entire movement. But regardless, Steinem was extraordinarily successful in grabbing and sustaining popular media attention. She quickly became the face of the movement and was a household name in millions of American homes.
According to Jillian Klean Zwilling in her article, “A Feminist Icon In Uncharted Territory: The Public Memory Of Gloria Steinem,” the national media popularized Steinem and made her into a cultural icon. She was featured on television, interviewed on several broadcast mediums, written about, and she herself published various articles and pieces. In all senses of the word, Gloria Steinem was a celebrity. As Zwilling states, Steinem was genuinely the media’s go-to feminist and frequently served as the figure-head for the entire movement.
Granted, as many serious feminists critique, Steinem’s style was slightly watered down. Her messages were accessible, but not overly aggressive. She was a personality that the mainstream media could relate to. As Patricia Bradley put it, “As the nation’s most famous, most influential, and subsequently most enduring feminist, Steinem came to represent the only ground on which Americans were ready to consider feminism. It was the same ground that fit with mass media standards, as it must be for any content that is to be embraced by mass media.” Thus, a significant reason for Steinem’s success was that she projected a notion of feminism that the media (and the country) could respect and hold on to.
Thus, one could easily argue that Gloria Steinem was not the perfect mouthpiece for the women’s movement. Perhaps she was too much of a media personality and “pretty face,” and not enough of an innovative political activist. But ultimately, Gloria Steinem became an object of the media’s interest. She put a face to the movement, and she garnered attention from a national audience, thus her role must not be downplayed.
Zwilling’s article can be found at:
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