Who is the Gloria Steinem of India?
Following the death of Gloria Steinem, this article explores the legacy of feminism and questions whether India requires a singular icon or if its strength lies in collective grassroots movements. It highlights the history of Indian feminist activism, specifically citing the Chipko Movement and the Maharashtra Stree Mukti Parishad.
Why it matters
It provides a cultural critique of how feminist movements are perceived and organized in different global contexts.
It has been a little over a week since Gloria Steinem, the iconic American feminist, died. The media has been full of stories about this extraordinary woman whose achievements were considerable, as were the controversies she was caught in.
Will the history of feminism give us another such hero? It’s hard to say. Steinem was an influential woman and her fame traversed many borders. She was also somebody who did not fear the limelight, although she did not necessarily actively seek it out. In the history of feminism, there aren’t too many icons like her. Perhaps, this is why many are asking the question: is feminism no longer the force it was, has it had its day or has it morphed into something else?
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