By Sharon Clott
Ed’s reps at Syracuse University flippin’ flipped out when they met Gloria Steinem on March 20, 2007! The legendary feminist, journalist, and Ms. Magazine founder visited the university for special lecture called “An Evening With Gloria Steinem,” hosted by Ed On Campus. (That’s her in the middle with all of us!) Ed and Gloria shared a monumental *moment* together, as Steinem answered questions about starting a magazine, the publishing industry, and feminism. She believes in empowerment, Edsters, empowerment!
Here are SIX KICKIN’ things, as written and reported by Syracuse EOC President (2006-07) Sharon Clott, she shared about the magazine industry that Ed loved the most:
1. SHE WANTS MORE: “The economy of magazines has changed since I started Ms. Women’s magazines can’t get ads unless they write favorably. It’s all for advertisers. I like Bitch and Bust.”
2. SHE DOESN’T PICK SIDES IN THE PRINT VS. ONLINE BATTLE: “If the Internet came first, people would be welcoming print magazines and newspapers. They’d say, ‘Oh, look it’s portable. I can take it places.’ Meaning, just because the Internet’s such a new medium, doesn’t make it better.”
3. SHE PREFERS READING ONLINE AND READS ALL OF HER NEWS ONLINE, except for the Sunday New York Times, as she always gets a paper copy of that. But, she doesn’t read blogs (and doesn’t plan on writing one of her own any time soon).
4. SHE’S A HOPE-A-HOLIC FOR MAGAZINES: “Ms. started with a group of women. We were all working as editors at magazines we wouldn’t read. And all we wanted to do was make a magazine we would read.”
5. SHE ONCE MADE BUTTONS THAT SAID “THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE. BUT FIRST, IT WILL PISS YOU OFF.” This came up in her discussion about the current administration’s policies. Interestin’!
6. SHE WANTS YOU TO TELL YOUR STORIES: “Our stories are narratives. Narratives are crucial. Our minds are organized around narratives. They always talk about the ‘Oprahfication’ of the news and I think if only. Perhaps we won’t be as hungry and starved for celebrity journalism just because we want to read a story about another human being.”
For the full deets on the Gloria Steinem event go to Syracuse’s web site.
—Sharon Clott, president, Syracuse Ed on Campus
CAPTION (left to right): Lindsay Silberman, Jessica Prince, Carly Migliori, Gloria Steinem, Sharon Clott, Kathryn Kondracki and Christine Mattheis.
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