Shine Your Light, Gloria Steinem!

Talk It Out with Jodi Leib
April 25, 2004
March for Women's Lives, Washington D.C.

Jodi:  It's so amazing to be in your presence.  You're such an enlightening spirit.  How do you stay so enlightened? 

Gloria:  I listen...to other women.

Jodi:  That's great!  There's a lot of talk about how Jane Roe regrets her decision and how she's an activist against abortion...how does that make you feel?  How is it working against Women's Rights?  What does that mean to us?  Does it matter?

Gloria:  It doesn't have an impact, because she deserved the right to make the decision at the time, and she deserved the right to change her mind.  More than 40% of all women will have had or need an abortion at some time in their lives.  Each individual is important.

Jodi:  I'm going towards spirituality, because I think that the nature of religion is something that applies to all people, not just Republicans.   Many people are religious, and I don't think that the Pro-Choice movement really even focuses on that.  I mean, it does a little bit, but are you spiritual?  Is there spirituality in your life?

Gloria:  Very much, but not religion. 

Jodi:  Right.

Gloria:  But, that's personal.  And actually, most religions are Pro-Choice.  The Catholic Church approved of abortion until the 1840s, and they changed their minds because of population issues, not because of moral issues. 

Jodi:  Kind of, looking in touch with ourselves, what is the power of making our own choices and living by our own standards?  How does that translate to being a human being?

Gloria:  Could you be a little more specific?

Jodi:  Choice is a gift that we've been given to have the freedom to be human beings.  Do you agree with that?  Choice is such a huge subject matter.  What is the power of Choice?  What does it actually mean?

Gloria:  It allows you to be your unique self.  Inside each person, there seems to be some voice that is both unique to that person, and universal as a human voice.  It allows that voice to be heard. 

Jodi: Unity is One Voice!

Gloria:  No, not unity is one voice, but Unity is a Chorus of Individual Voices.

Jodi:  I love that!  Thank you so much for being a guest on Talk It Out. 

Gloria:  Okay.  Thank you.

Jodi:  It's an honor to be in your presence, Gloria Steinem!

If any of the readers out there remember, until I met Gloria Steinem, the tag line/slogan for Talk It Out was Unity Is One Voice....Talk It Out!  I was very proud of that slogan, until Gloria corrected me.  I agree with her.  Unity is a Chorus of Individual Voices....Talk It Out!!!!!!

Please visit Ms. Magazine and the Feminist Majority Foundation to see the passion that Ms. Steinem built for Women's Rights just a generation ago.  She is as inspiring now as she ever was.  An important voice in our chorus of life.

Back to www.jodileib.com

Jodi Leib's Talk It Out Interview with Gloria Steinem was taped on April 25, 2004.  Talk It Out (c) Jodi Leib, 2004. Reprint by Permission at talkitout@jodileib.com.