Gloria Steinem and the Intergenerational Rift

Alright, confession time. Before watching, Gloria: In Her Own Words, I didn't really know too much about Gloria Steinem. I knew that she was a key figure during Second Wave feminism, that she’d founded Ms magazine, and had been the subject of extreme controversy over the years. I also knew about her infamous stance on Obama and that she was coming to speak at Stanford in a few weeks, and that this was a “very big deal.”

I considered perusing a few Wikipedia articles, but opted against it in favor of viewing the film with as few preconceived notions about Steinem as possible.

The film did a great job at portraying Steinem as a more sympathetic and human figure than she typically gets cast as in the media. It followed Steinem’s ascent from investigative journalist to feminist lightning rod and was interspersed with quotes and interview clips, both about and from Steinem. There were plenty of scenes crafted to make the enlightened feminist laugh, but there were also moments of sadness, particularly when Steinem spoke of her complex relationship with her parents.

            

I was left wanting, though, in the segments about the general feminist movement.  The film offered tantalizing glimpses into the conflicts and struggles within the movement, such as the rivalry between Steinem and fellow leader, Betty Friedan, but as a film about feminism, Gloria really fell flat. The filmmakers glossed over the issues of class, race, and sexuality, preferring to linger on tales of Steinem’s legendary beauty.  I get that this was a documentary biopic, but I wish the film had focused more on the movement itself.

            

The movie wrapped up with an uplifting scene of young, third-wave feminists at a rally, and I sat, swilling my drink, reviewing my notes on the film, totally expecting to be done for the day. But this was a Stanford event, and no Stanford event is complete without a Q&A. I glanced around the room, surprised to see that there were only a handful of students in the room. The majority of the audience was comprised of older women, ranging from grad student to staff member. I settled in for what was likely to be rousing discussion on the ups and downs of the film, or even a discussion on Gloria Steinem.

I was sorely disappointed when the first question, offered by an older woman, was along the lines of, “I don’t think young women today really understand the sacrifices we made in the 70s. They seem really ungrateful, and it feels like the movement is dying. Can the young women in the audience talk about this?"

“Can the young women in the audience…” was the theme of the night, a mildly condescending phrase with deep implications about the rift between Second and Third wave feminists. I was left feeling like a rabbit in a snare as the comments continued:

“Why do young women today dress so slutty?”

“The movement is disjointed and has no message.”

“Young women think feminism is a dirty word.”

I was left wondering how so much got lost in translation between the “waves,” or if this was simply nostalgia kicking in. Sure, Third wavers aren't taking to the streets in the way our fore-feminists were, but we’re still feminists. How can we try to repair this rift between the generations? Will Gloria Steinem comment on these issues in her upcoming talk?