Question of the Day | 09/27/2009 12:00 am

What living American woman has had the biggest impact on our lives?

Join Liz Smith, Judith Martin and Joan Ganz Cooney and tell us: Who is the one woman who has truly impacted us?

Joan Ganz Cooney | 09/20/2009 12:00 am

The One Woman Who Had the Biggest Impact on Joan Ganz Cooney's Life

For me, that would be Gloria Steinem.

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Judith Martin | 09/20/2009 12:00 am

Judith Martin on Mothers and Daughters

Let us hope that each of our daughters would answer this question as we would wish.

4 Comments

Liz Smith | 09/20/2009 12:00 am

Liz Smith on Living and Dead Feminists

This is a tough one. I think the still-living feminist Gloria Steinem and the now-dead women who fought for women’s suffrage changed our lives the most for the better. Thank God!

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Read more about: Change the World, Heroes, Leadership, women

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Hi Star—it’s nice to see you! Yes indeed Sanger was way out there with eugenics and I believe it tainted her role in history as a visionary. Her story is taught way too late to be appreciated by (sexually active) students. My oldest daughter learned about her in her junior year of high school. By the way, through helping my daughter on a report, I learned a lot about Sanger and birth control methods used in the past—what an eye opener.

By Lena B on 09/27/2009 12:57 pm

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good choice.

By macwoof woof on 09/27/2009 9:39 pm

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Thank you macwoof woof, it’s actually a good save. I realized that I didn’t read the question—it asked for women living, not dead. But when I was about to erase the entire comment, I thought that it was still applicable and posted it anyway.

By Lena B on 09/28/2009 12:37 pm

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Hillary Clinton. Such a strong woman. I have been very impressed by her for years.

By Linda Barhorst on 09/25/2009 11:28 pm

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I’d have to say Oprah Winfrey has had the biggest impact on our lives. She annointed Barack Obama as President with "He is the one." She has influenced millilons of Americans to read books, to donate to the needy with her "Angel Network," to believe in the basic goodness of humanity, to write journals of gratitude, and to "live your best life." In all of these things, she reaches average Americans and inspires them like no politician or movie star or other type of celebrity could.

By Julia Hammett on 09/25/2009 11:30 pm

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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and actresses Tyne Daly, Sharon Gless, Mary Tyler Moore and Marlo Thomas.

By Patricia Sprofera on 09/25/2009 11:39 pm

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Many women have left their mark on me. At different times in my life I would read or hear something amazing that would stay with me forever. I admire strong and dynamic women. In my early 20s I engaged in reading and through the words of many I developed a sense of what I would become. Oprah, Maya, Cathy Black, Suze Orman, Martha Stewart, Maryanne Williamson its endless and the person who enable us all was Gloria Steinem. I love what she said and I quote, "Women have a terminal case of gratitude". Its like she saying, know your worth!

By Rose Everett on 09/25/2009 11:48 pm

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I would choose Billie Jean King. Her fight for female equality in tennis (and sports in general) have had a lasting impact on the larger cause. Her match against Bobby Riggs will forever be a testament to the strength and determination of women in the face of adversity.

By Elaine McSherry on 09/26/2009 1:23 am

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It disturbs me to see Gloria Steinem listed as a feminist. She proved in the last election she is anything but by her attacks on Sarah Palin. Ms. Palin may not have been the best choice as a Vice-President but she is certainly a woman with the courage and drive to choose her own destiny and that is exactly what the feminist movement was all about.

We don’t have to always agree with everything a woman believes but we should support her in accomplishing her goals.

By Patricia Shaw on 09/26/2009 2:43 am

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With respect, it disturbed me that McCain chose Palin for the sole purpose of picking up disgruntled Hilary supporters after the democratic convention. They were expecting the dems to be fragmented but instead they unified but Palin’s first speach as VP candidate included several references to Clinton. We as women were supposed to just jump on the Palin bandwagon without bothering to look at her neo conservative and uninformed resume. Gloria just summed up this stupid choice from the GOP that us women were just supposed to support blindly just because she was a woman, much like they later did after President Obama was elected by choosing Steele as chairman of the GOP and the first african american. Look how well that is going. Again Gloria was right on Palin.

By Gaby Vice on 09/26/2009 6:35 am

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well put Gaby..

By macwoof woof on 09/27/2009 9:40 pm

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Even when those goals are contrary to what our goals might be? Why would we support her? Does feminism for you mean accepting anyone because they are female?

By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 09/26/2009 11:03 am

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I did not mean to imply it was necessary for us to vote for someone simply because they are female, but Ms. Steinem embarked on an all out attack on Palin. Which was particularly odd since both her and Biden held the very same beliefs. The feminist movement was not supposed to limit a woman’s right to choose her own destiny to only those with liberal views.

By Patricia Shaw on 09/27/2009 2:02 pm

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I would nominate Carolyn Heilbrun, who taught me that my role models had always been male, and thus awakened the strong feminine within me. Eleanor Roosevelt for her tireless championing of the rights of all. Billie Jean King for standing up for women in athletics, thus forever changing the possibilites all women now have. And Hillary Clinton, who has perservered regardless of the challenges, always on display, yet firm in her beliefs and bringing thoughtfulness and compassion to her work. Del Martin, Sharon Wegschider-Cruise, Claudia Black, Sonia Sotomayor, …… the list could go on forever.

By Jenny G on 09/26/2009 4:41 am