Gloria Steinem

If you are not a feminist in love, you fail to recognise someone who does not love you. Feminism makes love easier. Otherwise, there is the danger of feeling romantically drawn to someone who does not see you as an equal. ”

How could you not love Norman Mailer? He was a total chauvinist, but also so vulnerable. ”

You can compel fear. You can even make someone feel they're in love if they're isolated and dependent for long enough. But laughter is free. ”

Feminism began to dawn on my brain belatedly in life. ”

Gender is probably the most restricting force in American life. ”

The thing about aging is all your old lovers, pretty much if they were really friends, become your family. It's great. You have those terrible feelings of possessiveness and uncertainty go out the window. You have what you shared. You know you would help each other in times of trouble no matter what. ”

Everything about aging in my experience so far has been a plus. Except the death part! ”

I hate to generalize, but in general, both men and women suffer from ageism. Men much less because men gain power as they get older. Women lose power as they get older. Men are seen as gaining experience and being distinguished. Sons look forward to replacing their fathers. ”

I started out life as a writer, and writers write in part because they don't want to talk. ”

I didn't go to school a full year until I was 11 or 12, so I lived in books. I really was an observer of life. ”