Friday, June 12, 2009

VPR Presents Gloria Steinem

"I know someone is really smart when I can understand everything they say." This was one of many notes I took during Gloria Steinem's appearance in Burlington Thursday night.

At 75, Steinem's energy still fills a room, uniting the crowd of 600 women who came to hear her. She covered a wide range of topics including the connection between sex discrimination and racism, the fact that slavery is more prevalent today than it was in the 1800s, and her warning that America is in a time of transition that holds both promise and danger.

One moment stood out for me: a girl celebrating her 15th birthday asked Steinem what advice she had for her and her young friends. Steinem replied, "Don't listen to me, listen to your dreams." And the whole room sang Happy Birthday.

One of my favorite books that I have reread many times is Steinem's memoir "Revolution From Within." We see a woman who has always looked so strong and has been such a powerful force for change here and around the world - we assume she's always been that way, right?  Not quite. "Revolution From Within" reveals Steinem's inner struggles and charts her personal growth as she became a woman with an unstoppable vision.

VPR Presents Steinem's talk and the discussion that followed here.

Steinem was brought to Vermont by Vermont Woman Newspaper.

Franny Bastian
Senior Producer
Vermont Public Radio

No comments:

Post a Comment

We welcome your comments anytime, but please keep it civil and constructive! Also, please provide at least your full name and town. Thanks for reading!