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Gloria Steinem Endorses Quinn for NYC Mayor

Likens Quinn to Bella Abzug in new campaign video

by
Romy Zipken
August 02, 2013
Journalist Gloria Steinem attends Glamour's presentation of 'These Girls' at Joe's Pub on May 20, 2013 in New York City.(Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Glamour)
Journalist Gloria Steinem attends Glamour's presentation of 'These Girls' at Joe's Pub on May 20, 2013 in New York City.(Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Glamour)

Back in March, feminist icon Gloria Steinem and New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn were on opposite sides of a long debate over whether companies must provide paid sick leave to employees. Because Quinn wanted to be mayor—a goal which would require left-leaning Democratic support—and because of appeals from many, Steinem being the most noteworthy, Quinn got on board and compromised. The deal won’t come into effect until 2014, but eventually, companies with at least 15 employees will have to offer paid sick leave.

Just weeks later, Steinem was all about Quinn, proclaiming that Lady Liberty would “no longer be the only woman who symbolizes democracy in our great city.” Yesterday, Steinem released a video endorsing Quinn and comparing her to Bella Abzug. Quinn “knows what it’s like to live as a regular New Yorker,” Steinem explained. Like, for example, how the subway is super frustrating. Preach.

“Imagine how much it will mean to girls and young women, and young men too, to see that it’s possible to have a woman in what is always said to be the most important job in this nation,” she added. Steinem called on women to get to the voting booth, part on an effort by Quinn’s campaign to lock down the female voting bloc, the New York Times reports.

Ms. Quinn’s campaign said the video was just the start of a major push to get women to the polls for Ms. Quinn, an effort that it said would include targeted advertisements on Facebook — some asking women to “Make history with Chris Quinn,” and others appearing as promoted posts from Ms. Quinn’s Facebook account, featuring Ms. Steinem’s video. The campaign said it was also organizing house parties, cocktail parties, e-mails and phone banks targeting women voters.



Women are expected to make up nearly 60 percent of the electorate in the Democratic primary, and Ms. Quinn’s strategy relies on being able to get a disproportionate share of their votes.

Sisters are doin’ it for themselves.

Romy Zipken is a writer and editor at Jewcy. Her Twitter feed is @RomyZipken.