How Did Gloria Steinem Die? Here’s What We Know About Her Cause of Death

On September 3, Gloria Steinem‘s Foundation announced via Instagram that legendary activist Gloria Steinem had died at 92. The foundation shared that Steinem “passed away peacefully at her home in New York City, surrounded by some of the many who loved her.”

The announcement did not include details regarding Steinem’s cause of death. However, those who followed her throughout her decades of advocacy are wondering what issues she may have experienced with her health before her death.

At this stage, there have been no reports with specifics regarding Steinem’s health in recent months. However, it does seem that Steinem and those closest to her knew she had limited time left.

In their Instagram statement, the foundation noted, “In lieu of flowers, Gloria has asked that those wishing to honor her with a gift, may make a donation to Gloria’s Foundation.”

Gloria Steinem’s Cause of Death

Over the years, Steinem had dealt with some significant health issues. However, there is no indication that they played a role in her death on September 2 at the age of 92.

As Today noted, in 1986, Steinem was diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time, the 52-year-old activist thought that she wouldn’t survive it. She noted in a 2010 interview for the documentary titled Gloria: In Her Own Words, “Of course, then I immediately began to fight like crazy.”

In the interview with the Kunhardt Film Foundation, Steinem explained that the diagnosis came at a time when she was navigating significant changes in her life. She felt she was “coming to the end of something” as it was, and learning she had cancer made her think, “I said to myself kind of without thinking about it, kind of ironically, ‘So, this is how it’s going to end.'”

She continued, “And then, again, up from the bottom of my toes, like unconsciously, ‘I’ve had a wonderful life.’ And that was worth a lot. You know, that — that realization. Of course, then I immediately began to fight like crazy.”

Steinem noted she had “a tiny lump excised” and then had both radiation and chemotherapy. “I was very, very lucky. I remember getting out of the hospital and going to Barbra Walters’s wedding that night…and dancing.”

“I was really lucky that I haven’t had a recurrence. But in a way, it served a real purpose of making me a little bit more conscious of time,” Steinem shared.

In addition, Today added, Steinem dealt with trigeminal neuralgia. As the Mayo Clinic notes, it is a condition “that causes intense pain similar to an electric shock on one side of the face.”

The condition affects the trigeminal nerve, which is what “supplies feeling to the cheek, jaw, teeth, gums, lips, eyes and forehead.” It is considered a chronic pain condition, and Steinem previously talked to Mother Jones about its impact on her.

“It certainly is a sobering disease in every way — cost, knowledge of the health care system, and so on. In my case, it had another meaning, because I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t walk. The only thing I could do was stay home and write and read,” she recalled of the experience.

Vanity Fair spoke with Steinem in March, in anticipation of the release of her upcoming memoir. An Unexpected Life is set for release on September 22. At that time, she admitted she still had much more she wanted to do with her life. She told the media outlet, “I don’t want to die saying but —” signaling that despite being 92, she had much more she wanted to say and do.

Steinem also talked about how much she valued spending time with friends and neighbors, revealing, “I have a place for people to stay when they come from California or India or wherever they live. And that’s a great gift,” as she embraced diversity and being around others.

In 2024, Ms. magazine shared that Steinem intended to continue inspiring and advocating for as long as she could. She had no intention of “passing her torch” onto anyone else. Rather, she responded, “I’m not giving up my torch, but using it to light the torches of others, because if we each have a torch, there’s a lot more light.”