NY Gov. Kathy Hochul, Hillary Clinton and many more pay tribute to Gloria Steinem

Theresa Braine, New York Daily News on Sep 3, 2026

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NEW YORK — Tributes poured in Thursday for the late Gloria Steinem.

New York officials were among the legions of public figures who showered accolades and gratitude on the late activist, expressing both sadness and the determination to carry on her work, after she died Wednesday at age 92.

“Gloria Steinem inspired generations,” wrote Gov. Kathy Hochul across social media. “Fearless, witty and a quintessential New Yorker, she broke down barriers and changed what was possible for women everywhere. Her impact will be felt for generations to come. New York is keeping all who knew and loved her in our hearts today.”

New York State Attorney General Letitia James lauded Steinem as a “trailblazer, and a giant of the women’s movement in a social media post. “I know her legacy will live on for generations to come.”

Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg called it “an honor to meet her,” especially given their shared support of Planned Parenthood and reproductive rights.

“The world was never the same after Gloria Steinem came to New York City to blaze new trails in the fight for full equality,” Bloomberg said in a social media statement. “She helped revolutionize American journalism as she fearlessly advanced women’s rights both here and abroad.”

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who made history as the first presidential candidate for a major political party in 2016, told “CBS Mornings” co-anchor Gayle King by phone, “I’m heartsick, as I think everyone who not only knew her, but followed her, was inspired and challenged by her.”

“She was one of the architects of the entire structure of women’s equality,” Clinton continued, adding that, given the setbacks facing women today, “I want her voice to remain in our heads.”

The comments section on the Thursday morning Instagram announcement of Steinem’s death immediately filled with tributes and thanks from people whose lives she had influenced, either directly or indirectly.

“You once told me in an interview that it was your mother’s suffering that first moved you to take action for the rights of women,” wrote former NBC News anchor Ann Curry. “May you now be in her embrace.”

From Hollywood came a “heart broken” Marisa Tomei, thanking Steinem “for changing my life” and vowing to “keep your flame alive.” Then Lily Tomlin, with a brief, “Thank you Gloria,” and Julianne Moore’s three broken-heart emojis punctuating a simple, “We are so grateful to you Gloria.”

“She was fierce and kind and full of grace,” commented Shonda Rhimes. “What a loss for the world.”

Steinem’s activism was infused with joy, Clinton and others pointed out. Actress Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, posted a tribute full of memories of times spent with Steinem, whom she called a friend.

Journalist Christiane Amanpour called Steinem “one of the most important activists of all time.”

“She lived a long and passionate life dedicated to this vital and basic cause,” Amanpour continued. “She did it with intellectual precision, emotional awareness, humour and beauty. May she rest in peace and may the cause thrive.”

The LGBTQ advocacy organization GLAAD mourned a “trailblazing titan of civil rights whose vision for liberation bridged the movements for gender equality, bodily autonomy, and LGBTQ rights,” said president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis in a statement shared with the Daily News. “She recognized that feminist progress is incomplete without full inclusion and stood as an ally to transgender people’s fight for equality. Gloria rejected rigid binaries, choosing instead to build bridges of empathy and coalition across all marginalized identities. Gloria’s life was a masterclass in coalition-building, courage, and unconditional empathy.”

Then there was Ms. itself, lionizing its cofounder. Much of Steinem’s singular impact, the magazine noted, came from her refusal to accept credit on her own.

“Steinem understood something the culture surrounding her often did not: Movements are never made by one person,” Ms. wrote in an obituary. “She insisted that feminism’s history include the Black women, labor organizers, Indigenous women, lesbians, civil rights leaders and community activists whose work had too often been erased. She frequently credited women such as Florynce Kennedy, Dorothy Pitman Hughes, Fannie Lou Hamer, Pauli Murray and Shirley Chisholm with teaching and inspiring her. When the media attempted to anoint her the leader of a leaderless movement, she redirected attention toward the organizers, coalitions and collective action that made change possible.”

She was a “signal fire,” encouraging others to light their own, as Clinton told CBS News, “Somebody who is out there burning bright to the very last hour of her life.”

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