Sally Ride

The people that paved the way for folks like Candace who said, excuse me, there are other people, four bears, Jean Kirkpatrick and other people, Molly Ivins, might have been liberals, but still women who said, no, no, Madam Curie.

You know, they had Sally Ride, poor thing, you know, that kind of, but at least it was something.

And I've always been, whether or not a feminist, but I've always been for, quote, the underdog.

And before DEI and affirmative action came, I was absolutely, positively, 100%, what you might call, and still am, pro-civil rights.

heartsick, as I think everyone who not only knew her but followed her was inspired and challenged by her, Clinton said.

The former first lady credited Steinem with creating opportunities for women over the course of decades, including for Sally Ride to become the first American woman to go into space and for Title IX to be passed.

Representative Nancy Pelosi, Democrat from California, the first female House speaker, said Steinem changed what was possible for women in America.

As we honor her extraordinary life, we must teach the next generation about the barriers she broke and to remain relentless in our pursuit of equality, just as Gloria would want us to be, she said in a post on X. Megan, the Duchess of Sussex, remembered working with Steinem to encourage more young voters to become politically active and getting to know her on a personal level.

She wasn't in Congress, but Title IX, opening up opportunities to girls in sports and academics was part of her legacy.

She wasn't at NASA directing our space program, but Sally Ride finally becoming the first woman astronaut was fantastic.

You know, part of what she stood for.

And you could go on and on because the list is probably endless because her understanding of the need to create opportunities for women where they had not existed before or where they only existed for the very, very few exceptions.

She wasn't in Congress, but Title IX opening up opportunities to girls in sports and academics was part of her legacy.

Uh, she wasn't, uh, at NASA, uh, directing our space program, but Sally Ride finally becoming the first woman astronaut was, you know, part of, uh, what she stood for.

And you could go on and on, because the list is [laughs] is probably endless.

endless.When it comes to the future, Steinem often balked at the idea that she would have to name a successor, writing in her book Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, quote, "At my age, in this still hierarchical time, people often ask me if I'm passing the torch.