Organizing Political Power

Steinem co-founded organizations including the National Women’s Political Caucus, the Women’s Action Alliance, and the Ms. Foundation for Women. These institutions sought to move from public awareness toward candidate recruitment, grassroots support, funding, and durable political participation.

Her organizing has linked gender equality with reproductive freedom, racial justice, LGBTQ rights, and freedom from violence. Although debates within feminism have repeatedly challenged who is represented and heard, Steinem’s long career reflects an effort to treat equality as a coalition project rather than a single-issue campaign.