Gloria Steinem, who died at her New York City home on Wednesday, rejected the mantle of being the singular face of the women's rights movement. Despite her iconic look—streaked center-parted hair and aviator glasses—she resisted being positioned as a white woman figurehead. When Newsweek featured her in 1971, she refused the cover interview, insisting a woman of color share the stage whenever she spoke publicly. Her 2015 conversation with Lena Dunham challenged the notion of a single torchbearer, declaring, 'The very idea that there's one torch is bullshit.'

Born to a suffragist grandmother and journalist father, Steinem inherited her mission. After Smith College, she gained fame undercover as a Playboy bunny. In 1968 she co-founded New York magazine, then launched Ms. magazine in 1971, courageously covering abortion, sexual harassment, and domestic violence. She helped establish the National Women's Political Caucus, led marches, transformed her 50th birthday into ongoing fundraisers, and hosted community circles at her home until her final days.

When asked about her greatest accomplishment, Steinem once said, 'I haven't made it yet,' suggesting the movement remained unfinished.