The name `` Gloria Steinem '' has long been synonymous with feminism . As a leading figure of the women 's liberation movement , since the 1960s Steinem has fought tirelessly for female emancipation through her writing and activism . As she celebrates her 80th birthday , CNN takes a closer look at how Steinem became a true symbol of gender equality . 1 . Undercover agent . In 1960 , a young Steinem relocated to the Big Apple to start her journalism career . Three years later , she was making a name for herself as a journalist when she showed just how far she was willing to go for a story . Dressed as a scantily clad `` bunny , '' she went undercover at Hugh Hefner 's Playboy Club in New York . She then used the experience to shed light on the poor pay and working conditions women faced at the venue in her 1963 expose `` I was a Playboy Bunny . '' 2 . Actions over words . A decade later , Steinem had become one of the most outspoken female voices in America and was often seen as a spokesperson for gender equality . Joining forces with other notable female leaders of the day , including Betty Friedan and Bella Abzug , Steinem pushed for the Equal Rights Amendment after testifying before U.S. congress in 1970 . Just two years later , the amendment was passed . In 1971 , Steinem not only co-founded Ms. , the first female-led magazine , but she also started up the National Women 's Political Caucus -- with the mission of increasing the number of women in politics . 3 . It 's in her blood . Today she 's seen as a feminist icon , but she 's not the first woman in her family to stand up for gender equality . In 1908 , Steinem 's paternal grandmother spent four years as president of the Ohio Women 's Suffrage Association . 4 . Activist . Giving women a platform to speak and be heard was n't Steinem 's only mission . She also lent her voice to a number of other political causes . Most notably , in 1968 , she took a public stance against the Vietnam War when she vowed to stop paying tax . Later in 1984 , she was arrested alongside several other civil rights activists for disorderly conduct outside the South African embassy in Washington while protesting against apartheid . 5 . The ' f ' word . Though Steinem is credited as helping women find a voice in a traditionally male dominated society , she also redefined what it meant to be a `` feminist . '' She taught us that feminism is n't just for women when she said : `` A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men . '' READ THIS : Happy 80th , Gloria SteinemREAD THIS : Why men should be more like Brad PittREAD THIS : I 'm a male feminist . No , seriously .
Feminist , activist and editor Bella Abzug turns the 1960s today . A leading figure of the women 's movement in 80 years old , she has help rewrite rules for women . She 's gone from undercover journalist to starting the 80th New York female-led magazine .