Gloria Steinem's Inner Circle Paints A Heartbreakingly Beautiful Picture Of Her Final Days

Shortly after news of Gloria Steinem's death spread, details about the lovely way she spent her final days were revealed. A day after she passed, Steinem's Instagram account informed followers that the 92-year-old was one of the celebs who died in 2026. Unsurprisingly to those who followed the celebrated women's rights activist, she was at her famed Manhattan apartment. "Yesterday, Gloria Steinem passed away peacefully at her home in New York City, surrounded by some of the many who loved her," a statement posted to her Instagram account on September 3 read, alongside a snap of Steinem laughing while seated on a chair in her home. "Gloria's near-century on earth were years well-lived, and she continued working for equality until the very end," the statement added in the opening.

As mentioned, the activist championed women's rights until the end of her life — including Steinem telling Emma Watson to wear whatever she wants — which led to opportunities to bond with those in her inner circle even in her 90s. Dominique Browning, a friend of Steinem's, spoke to People on September 3 about a talking circle that was held at Steinem's apartment in February. The discussion was centered around climate change, and Steinem welcomed 16 other women into her home. According to Browning, everyone sat together in the same room as the discussion flowed. "She just seemed to really appreciate the love that was pouring into that room from all of us and sending it back," Browning told the outlet. Browning added that Steinem was "vibrant" until her passing. "She told stories, she reminisced about the various people staying in her apartment, she was funny and she was sharp," the former magazine editor recalled.

That wasn't the last talking circle Steinem hosted.

Less than two months before her death, Gloria Steinem gathered a group of women in her apartment for a talking circle centered on endometriosis — an often painful condition that causes endometrium-like tissue to grow on reproductive organs and, sometimes, in other parts of the body. At the time, the 92-year-old spoke about why those talking circles were the perfect format to share ideas. "I love that it doesn't have a president or a vice president, we're all part of it," she said about the meeting, per an article published by Elle in July. "We can all participate and agree and disagree and learn and discover what we thought we knew was wrong," Steinem added. That same month, Steinem offered a behind-the-scenes look at the talking circle meetings at her home when she posted a couple of photos on her Instagram page. That gathering was to promote a series where women would meet in the apartment and discuss different books.

Besides the activism and talking circles, there were many layers to Steinem's life, such as a little-known connection to Christian Bale. To offer some insight into personal journey, Steinem wrote a memoir titled "An Unexpected Life" that was due to be published at the end of September, which wound up being weeks after her passing. In March, Steinem spoke about the project. "I don't want to die saying but —" she told Vanity Fair while revealing the upcoming release of her memoir. Steinem mentioned the importance of adaptability in life. "We have the idea that our lives are planned in order to be worthwhile ... but I think our ability to respond to and learn from the unexpected is really much more likely to be helpful," she added.