Gloria Steinem, interviewed by Mary Louise Kelly, Mallory Yu & Courtney Dorning; in “Activist Gloria Steinem reflects on abortion rights as they hang in the balance”, NPR, (December 9, 2021)
“
[C]ontrolling reproduction has always been the first step in any hierarchical or authoritarian government. Those who are authoritarian or hierarchical in their outlook in this, you know, still patriarchal time look to control the one thing they don't have as the first effort in creating a hierarchy.
— Gloria Steinem on Authoritarianism
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "[C]ontrolling reproduction has always been the first step in any hierarchical or authoritarian government. Those who are authoritarian or hierarchical in their outlook in this, you know, still patriarchal time look to control the one thing they don't have as the first effort in creating a hierarchy." in the context of "Gloria Steinem, interviewed by Mary Louise Kelly, Mallory Yu & Courtney Dorning; in “Activist Gloria Steinem reflects on abortion rights as they hang in the balance”, NPR, (December 9, 2021)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Authoritarianism" (S)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Gloria Steinem
Gloria Marie Steinem (born March 25, 1934) is an American feminist, journalist, and social and political activist who became nationally recognized as a leader of, and media spokeswoman for, the women's liberation movement in the late 1960s and 1970s. A prominent writer and key counterculture era political figure, Steinem has founded many organizations and projects and has been the recipient of many awards and honors. She is a former columnist for New York magazine and co-founded Ms. magazine.
About Gloria Steinem
Gloria Marie Steinem (born March 25, 1934) is an American feminist, journalist, and social and political activist who became nationally recognized as a leader of, and media spokeswoman for, the women's liberation movement in the late 1960s and 1970s. A prominent writer and key counterculture era political figure, Steinem has founded many organizations and projects and has been the recipient of many awards and honors. She is a former columnist for New York magazine and co-founded Ms. magazine.
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