Today Gloria Steinem turns 80. For fifty of those years she has been the face of feminism. If you give Steinem’s life a cursory review the highlight reel will likely include
MOST of what she does involves moving the movement forward. Speech to meeting to panel to fund-raiser. She frequently travels alone but it’s not lonely, she says: “On the plane I have my flying girlfriends, who are called flight attendants.” (Flight attendants play a large role in Steinem’s life. Sometimes they get her first-class meals when she’s flying coach. We will now stop to contemplate the fact that Gloria Steinem is 80 and still flying coach.)
Since Gloria Steinem is always on the move and ever-evolving in an effort to push her causes forward, it’s hard to fully take stock of Steinem’s legacy. This is where Harvard historian Nancy Koehncomes in.
Today, on Boston Public Radio, Nancy Koehn spoke with host Jim Braude and Margery Eagan about why Steinem has been such an appealing person to so many people over the years. She also breaks down Steinem’s unique leadership skills, which include empathy, a hard-hitting message, never losing the big picture and knowing what it takes to stay relevant.
You can find so much more insight from Koehn right here:
