I finally got to see the HBO documentary about Steinem tonight that had originally aired a few months ago. I’d almost forgotten what a giant figure she was and how many many ways she changed the culture.
The documentary was very well done, told in Steinem’s own words and taking us from her unhappy childhood in the Midwest to her early years in NYC to her historic contributions to the women’s movement.
I interviewed her when her book about self esteem was published. She couldn’t have been more gracious, more generous with her time and – most unusually for someone so famous – more honest. She explained that her aviator glasses had been a disguise, hiding the insecure girl she was inside. She told me about her parents; how their divorce and her mother’s “nervous breakdown” forced her to be the caregiver in the household. She spoke about how much she cared about equality, not just for American women but for women around the world, no matter what their race, ethnicity or economic status.
It makes me laugh when I see young women today who turn up their noses at the word “feminist” – even as they sit in their big corner offices at corporations where they would never have gotten a job if not for Steinem and others.
I never marched on Washington or burned my bra or even bought a subscription to Ms. magazine, but I’ve always had the highest respect for Steinem and was glad she got her due on HBO.
I loved this documentary. I watched it twice!
I always admired her. After the documentary I really liked her.
I understood her more and there were some parallels with my life that I just understood.
I am proud to be a card carrying feminist. I do not find it a dirty word like young women do today.
But maybe because I have had the struggle.
I remember my guidance counselor telling me I couldn’t be on radio because I was a woman.
Women droon he said, no one will listen.
I can’t remember where my keys are at any given moment Jane but I remember that SOB’s words and the feeling of being “put in my place”. He did it many times. And he was young – not even an old codger.
I remember how he continued to shoot me down each and every time I tried to do what I wanted because I was a girl. Even so far as calling my parents to snap me out of this. 3 yrs of this. Told me to be a nurse or a teacher and get my head out of the clouds. Nice huh? So YEA to Gloria!!
And you know what else? Gloria doesn’t appear to have had a lot of work done and I think she looks just fine!
I spent last evening with a friend of mine from LA. Only 42 and she is filled with botox, collagan, boobs and all kinds of stuff and i don’t get it. She was beautiful….drop dead gorgeous in fact. Now she looks like a caricature (sp?) of herself. She claims there was a wrinkle on her forhead. I suggested bangs. :-)
that was to be “drone”….sorry.
I haven’t watched the whole thing, but it’s saved on my DVR. I have seen bits and pieces of it. Couldn’t believe the clip of her on Larry King when that bitch (sorry, Jane, is profanity allowed here?) calls in and tells GS she failed and that she should be ashamed of herself (or whatever the words were). Talk about a woman in the dark ages. I think Gloria rocks!
I remember being told the same things you were, Peg. I wanted to be a sports journalist and everybody in the business was male. They all said, “A woman covering sports? Never happen.” And so I went into book publishing where women were always welcome, if not always given top jobs. The younger women today don’t realize how lucky they are. There’s so much to take for granted, thanks to Steinem and her cohorts. And yes, she’s aging gracefully as opposed to shooting her face full of “stuff.”
Oooh, that caller on Larry King was horrible, Ruth! She said to Steinem, “I hope you rot in hell.” What I loved about the doc was how Steinem handled all the hostility. You never saw her get mean in response to it. She just said, “It goes with the territory.” But inside I’m sure she was hurt, and she expresses some of that in the doc. You’ll enjoy watching it.
Congrats to Ms. Steinem, and to ALL you ladies who persevered thru all those barriers. No, we “MCPs” (or whatever we were known as) really don’t have a clue what you went thru.
The more I type, however, the more likely I am to digress and annoy/offend somehow; just wanted to throw my two pennies into the fountain…
Not sure what there is to comment on that would annoy or offend, Dave, unless you don’t agree that women deserve equal rights around the world.
No, of course not…just that I’ve tripped on my own tongue/type here a time or two b4. Like, for instance, I could take your cue and ramble on about how I don’t understand how ANYONE in the West (esp. female) can be even sympathetic to Islamic Sharia, when they do seem to disagree with Steinem profoundly…but there I go again…
Clearly, we’re not in sync politically, Dave. We’ve established that.
Gloria’s coming to Minneapolis and we can’t wait! http://www.besyn.org/gloria