"I also thought that I absolutely had to get married and have children and lead my husband's life," Steinem said in remarks reflecting on the women's movement. "Courtesy of all the women speaking out about different lives, I realized I was actually happy and not everybody has to live the same way."
Steinem, 92, became one of the most prominent voices of the modern feminist movement, advocating for women's reproductive rights, equal pay and workplace equality while challenging traditional gender roles.
For Nancy Cook, a Durham resident and member of the North Carolina chapter of the National Organization for Women, Steinem's message helped expand what many women believed was possible.
"I was a teenager in the '60s, and she opened up our eyes that there was more we could do as women," Cook said.
Cook said Steinem's influence remained evident decades later.
"I've seen her give speeches several times. The last was at the Women's March in 2017," Cook said. "She encouraged everyone to keep going and that we're all in this together."
Gailya Paliga, president of North Carolina NOW, said Steinem's advocacy helped create opportunities for future generations.
"Her changes were already in effect so that I could go to school and study computer science and be treated more fairly," Paliga said.
Before emerging as a leading feminist activist, Steinem made a name for herself as a journalist. She gained national attention in 1963 after going undercover as a Playboy Bunny to expose working conditions at New York City's Playboy Club.
Over the years, Steinem received numerous awards and honors for her work. In 2013, President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.
Dr. Katherine Turk, a historian at UNC-Chapel Hill, said Steinem's influence extended far beyond the feminist movement.
"Gloria Steinem was a feminist trailblazer and activist for justice for all oppressed people and a great example of what women can accomplish when they live life on their own terms," Turk said.
Turk said Steinem challenged long-standing societal expectations for women and helped reshape American culture.
"She was relevant to generation after generation," Turk said. "I know she will be an icon for many generations to come."
More than a half-century after becoming a national figure, Steinem's legacy continues to influence conversations about equality, opportunity and women's rights across the country.
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