Gloria Steinem, a leading advocate of women's issues, will speak tonight at 7:30 in Emens Auditorium.
"Steinem is one of the most important voices in the modern women's movement," said Kim Jones-Owen, director of the Women's Studies Program. "No questions about it."
In honor of Women's Week 2002, Steinem, a devoted activist and writer, will lecture on the advancement of women's social equality in her speech "Feminism 101."
She is also the co-founder, editor and owner of Ms. magazine.
At 61, Steinem is widely recognized for her books which include "Revolution From Within," "Moving Beyond Words," and "Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions."
According to an Internet biography, Steinem, who was born on March 25, 1934, in Toledo, Ohio, spent much of her childhood traveling with her family due to her father's job as an antiques dealer and resort operator.
When Steinem's parents split up in 1944, her father moved to California. Her older sister, Susan, went off to attend Smith College in Massachusetts and Gloria and her mother returned to Toledo.
While living with her mother in Toledo, Steinem took on the role of both parent and student. Her mother, suffering from fits of depression that brought about hallucinations and occasional bouts of self-destructive behavior, was incapable of caring for herself and relied greatly on her daughter to shop, cook and tend to the home.
Steinem excelled in school despite the difficulties she experienced at home. Her sister arranged for her to move to Washington, D.C., and attend her alma mater, Smith College.
Entering Smith College in 1952, Steinem quickly established herself as a leader at the women's college. Majoring in government, Steinem became politically active while volunteering for Adlai Stevenson's presidential campaign, and also wrote for the Smith student newspaper.
Steinem's interest in the women's movement grew when she discovered the reason for her mother's illness. Once a successful columnist and editor for a Toledo newspaper, Steinem's mother had been forced to give up her career when she married Leo Steinem. She was not allowed to have both a career and family, and she suffered from depression as a result. Steinem was upset by this demonstration of restriction against women and decided to step up for women's rights.
After a two-year study in India upon graduation, Steinem returned to the United States where she discovered discrimination while searching for a job as a reporter in New York.
Steinem began working as an editorial assistant with Help! magazine before a friend encouraged her to work as a freelance writer for a variety of magazines.
Throughout the '60s, Steinem successfully freelanced for a number of publications and became a writer for the television show, "That Was The Week That Was."
In 1968 Steinem was chosen to cover Sen. George McGovern's presidential campaign, and her coverage of the senator led to her position as a founding editor for New York magazine.
Her work for the magazine further sparked Steinem's interest in the women's liberation movement. While marching in the New York City Women's Strike for Equality, Steinem struck up a friendship with Dorothy Pitman Hughes, an African American who had helped to create one of the first community day centers for working New York women.
The two formed the Women's Action Alliance to develop educational program for women, and in 1972 published the first issue of Ms., a magazine ran by women meant to be a forum for feminist issues.
In the 30 years Ms. magazine has since been published, Steinem continues to speak out about women's issues.
She has established the Ms. Foundation for Women, has founded the Coalition of Labor Union Women and is president of Voters for Choice.
Jones-Owen said it is both an honor and privilege to host Steinem as tonight's guest speaker.
"We've been trying to have Steinem as a speaker for Women's Week for the past five years," she said. "Needless to say we are very excited she has chosen to come to Ball State."
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