On May 13, some of the most influential women in the United States gathered in New York City to fete a few of their own: women who, at the corporate or grassroots level, have made significant contributions to the feminist ideals of social, economic, and political justice. At the invitation of activist Jane Comer, VIE Publisher Lisa Burwell and VIE Special Assignment Writer Anne Hunter attended the Ms. Foundation’s Gloria Awards—an experience as powerful as it was eye-opening, and one that VIE is proud to share. As Beyoncé melodically queried: “Who runs the world? Girls!” Catchy. Inspirational, even. But is it true? From the bluest blue-collar job to the corner office, women still earn a fraction of what men do for the same work, and fewer than two dozen women hold the office of president or prime minister in a world that comprises nearly two hundred countries. It seems Beyoncé’s assertion may be a bit premature. Or is it? When Gloria Steinem, the baby-boomer generation’s most famous feminist, teamed with Marlo Thomas, Patricia Carbine, and Letty Cottin Pogrebin to launch the Ms. Foundation for Women four decades ago, discrimination and Mad Men–style attitudes were an everyday reality. The organization’s goal was to elevate women’s voices and create positive change—not an easy task in the face of opposition who liked the status quo, thank you very much. Nevertheless, the Ms. Foundation dug in, beginning with funding domestic abuse hotlines and rape crisis centers and investing in childcare centers so mothers could earn a living. It was one small step for woman, but one giant leap for womankind. Lest we forget, the Ms. Foundation was created in an era when women couldn’t get car loans, student loans, or credit cards in their names; when Native American women sometimes were forcibly sterilized; and when lesbians routinely lost custody of their children because of their sexual orientation. If you’re surprised that everything from domestic abuse services to credit cards weren’t available to women just forty years ago, thank the Ms. Foundation and its cause for putting such distance between us and … that. Today, girls are taught that they can do anything, that they can be anything. And fortunately, that’s largely true. This removal of barriers is what the Ms. Foundation has fought so hard for, and yet complacency is a real danger for women who have grown up without these obstacles. Are the younger generations as passionate about feminism as their foremothers? The answer may lie in the Ms. Foundation’s Twenty-Fifth Annual Gloria Awards. One of the most surprising threats to modern feminism comes from women who haven’t traditionally viewed themselves as feminists—mostly because they never had to. Burwell, whose three decades of
professional success includes founding and publishing her own magazine and branding company, admits to being late to the feminist party. “I never saw a person’s gender or skin color as an element of their success, or lack thereof, so it’s been hard for me to recognize that there are and were barriers,” she said. “But as I sat in the room that evening, I realized for the first time that this movement I was witnessing had actually helped me open doors and be accepted as a valued voice in the business arena from early on in my career.” Her takeaway—that, like it or not, she was free to live her dream, thanks to pioneers who had changed the workforce all those years ago—hit home for many audience members who hadn’t been on the front lines in the beginning.
A Salute to Women of Vision
This year’s Gloria Awards: A Salute to Women of Vision continued its tradition of honoring inspirational businesswomen, philanthropists, and nonprofit leaders—both established and emerging change makers who share the foundation’s mission of bettering women’s lives through hands-on activism and policy reform. Some of the honorees were well-known names: Eleanor Holmes Norton, a twelve-term Congresswoman for the District of Columbia renowned for her work on universal human and civil rights, and iconic fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, who lives out a global commitment to women-centered philanthropy and mentorship. It was clear that in these trailblazers, the fervor of the early feminist movement still burns
ms. foundation’s honorary founding mother marie c. wilson and founding mother gloria steinem
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