‘We Are The Women Our Parents Warned Us Against’: Gloria Steinem’s Quotes On Feminism Everyone Should Read

Gloria Steinem spent decades putting feminism, equality and women’s rights at the centre of public conversation. A journalist, author, activist and co-founder of Ms. magazine, she became one of the most recognisable voices of the American women’s movement. Steinem died at her home in New York City on September 2, 2026, at the age of 92, according to posts shared by her and her foundation’s social media accounts. (AFP)

Her career took her from journalism to activism, from undercover reporting on the working conditions at Playboy to speaking at rallies, campuses and community centres across the US. Along the way, she became known for turning complicated questions about gender, power, work and equality into words that were direct, memorable and often provocative. Here are her best quotes (AFP)

“Any woman who chooses to behave like a full human being should be warned that the armies of the status quo will treat her as something of a dirty joke. That’s their natural and first weapon. She will need her sisterhood.” (afp)

“We are the women our parents warned us against, and we are proud.” (Credit: Instagram/gloriasfoundation)

“The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn.”
(Credit: Instagram/gloriasfoundation)

“We’ll never solve the feminization of power until we solve the masculinity of wealth.”
(Credit: Instagram/gloriasfoundation)

“Women have two choices: Either she’s a feminist or a masochist.”
(Credit: Instagram/gloriasfoundation)

“We are becoming the men we wanted to marry” (AFP)

“A liberated woman is one who has sex before marriage and a job after.” (AFP)

“We’ve begun to raise daughters more like sons… but few have the courage to raise our sons more like our daughters.” (AFP)

“Now we know that, say, women can do what men can do—most folks would agree with that. But we don’t know that men could do what women can do.” (Credit: Instagram/gloriasfoundation)

“I never wanted to be a politician or elected person myself, so I loved to work for other women who did—and hope that more girls will do that. The problem is the feeling that we’re divided from politics, that our vote doesn’t count or what we do doesn’t count. In fact, everything we do counts.”
(Credit: Instagram/gloriasfoundation)