As if you needed yet another reason to hope you're reincarnated as a badass activist in your next life, Jane Kramer's profile of Gloria Steinem will remind you why Steinem is such an icon in the first place. Through a series of extensive interviews, Steinem opens up to Kramer about everything from her unconventional childhood to being a feminist pioneer — the latter of which she explains, "There is no one torch — there are many torches — and I'm using my torch to light other torches." To give the piece by Kramer proverbial life, The New Yorker created a short video by which Steinem essentially invites us all along for the ride. And, real talk: it might just be the best four minutes of your day.
It undoubtedly isn't the first time Steinem has stirred something in you or inspired you to action, and it very likely won't be the last. Her contributions to the feminist movement are nearly unparalleled — from founding Ms. magazine to shining a hard light on the exploitation and oppression of women through exposes and articles. Steinem is also known, of course, for her work as a civil rights activist. To Kramer, she champions the mission of the Black Lives Matter movement. And, today, she is still defying gender norms and striving for gender parity. Hers is a life well-lived, and that is the permeating sentiment in The New Yorker's four minute clip. You can read the entire piece by Kramer here, and don't miss the full video after the jump. But, as your daily dose of inspiration, here are a few pearls of wisdom Steinem shares in her video chronicle.
Steinem's childhood, she said, taught her to live with uncertainty. But her father, whom she attributes this quote to, helped her to realize uncertainty isn't necessarily a bad thing. If tomorrow is a blank page, the story you write might be an epic tale.
Kramer's interviews with Steinem often circle round to the fact that Steinem does not drive. She reveals she did have a license for a briefly lingering moment in her earlier life, but she found that not having one frees her to soak up every single second of every single adventure.
Despite what women have been conditioned to believe, there is no prototypical path to follow in life. College, marriage, babies... yes, this works for many people. But not for all, and that epiphany proved to be a true revelation for Steinem. In fact, she married at age 66.
This. I needed to hear this today. As you grow older, the roots you plant ground you — which can feel stifling to a wayfaring soul. What Steinem learned, and what she shares with us, is that women really can have both.
Images: The New Yorker/YouTube (4)
