Gloria Steinem, feminist activist and journalist, dies at 92

Feminist activist and journalist Gloria Steinem has died, her foundation announced Thursday.

Steinem "passed away peacefully at her home in New York City" on Wednesday, her foundation said.

"Gloria's near-century on earth were years well-lived, and she continued working for equality until the very end," it added. "Gloria lived true to her independent spirit, always with curiosity and a great sense of humor."

Steinem became one of the most visible symbols of the US women's movement, helping lead the country's second wave of feminism. She was a fierce advocate for feminist causes throughout her life.

She spent much of her life on the road, speaking at college campuses, community centers, rallies and marches.

"She spent her recent years doing the two things she loved most: being in community with others and writing," her foundation said.

Born on March 25, 1935, in Toledo, Ohio, as the younger of two daughters, Steinem did not attend school regularly until around seventh grade due to her father's work as a traveling antique dealer and the subsequent frequent movement of her family.

Her parents separated when she was 11, pushing her to take care of her mother, who suffered from depression and had a mental breakdown. It was her earliest lesson in social injustice and the constraints she believed marriage placed on women, shaping her belief that the institution robbed women of choices and many of their civil rights.