Steinem’s reawakening

Gloria Steinem is back in the fight, said Nancy Hass in Newsweek. At 77, the iconic feminist has outlasted contemporaries like the late Betty Friedan and has returned to the public-speaking circuit after a 15-year absence. “Obviously we’ve come a long way on many fronts, at least for some women in this country,” says Steinem, who bristles at the mention of former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn and his alleged assault on a hotel maid. Though the case never came to trial, Steinem still sees DSK’s fate as a victory for women. “He’s gone from the job, disgraced. No matter what happens, it’s a net win for us.”

Despite her liberal beliefs, Steinem bears grudging respect for the likes of Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann, whom she sees as heirs to her erstwhile opponent, conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly. “You know what you’re saying is important when the power structure brings in people who look like you and think like them.”

Her 70s have been “surprisingly freeing,” enabling her to find her voice again. “I think one of my problems is that I still have a hard time acknowledging age, accepting how little time remains,” she says. “I mean, a new situation evolves somewhere in the world, and you feel you need to talk about it. You never run out of things. At least I never do.”

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