Even Gloria Steinem Needs a “Dance Moms” Break Sometimes

The feminist icon is worried about the state of the country—and the essays she owes her editor.

Before we get to Gloria Steinem’s “Stars, They’re Just Like Us” TV-watching habits, some quick housekeeping: If you’re reading this newsletter, you’re probably familiar with Jennifer Rudolph Walsh and Together Live, which she co-founded. Today, Jennifer is thrilled to welcome you to her next chapter, Godmothers.

Godmothers—the love child of Jennifer and entrepreneur and author Victoria Jackson—is a bookstore and gathering space in Summerland, California. It’s also a continuation of Jennifer and Victoria’s shared mission: to bring people together, forge connections, and spark conversations. Beyond the brick-and-mortar space, Godmothers will spread magic across social media and from this newsletter. We have no idea where this shared dream will take us, but we can’t wait to find out—and we can’t wait for you all to be a part of it.

Courtesy of Carly Romeo.

Speaking of magic, that brings us back to one Ms. Gloria Steinem, whose magic is palpable, even over Zoom. Gloria’s one of many notables who shared their personal stories in Victoria’s newest book, We All Worry, Now What? (Pardon the name-dropping, but Kris Jenner, Jane Fonda, and Jay Shetty also contributed.) Ahead of the release of We All Worry, Now What? (September 3) and the bookstore’s opening weekend (September 6 to 8), we chatted with Gloria about what’s currently worrying her—plus, her go-to breakfast order and the cause she wants you—yes, you—to support right now.

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GODMOTHERS: Are you someone who worries a lot, naturally?

GLORIA STEINEM: I don’t know where I am on the “worries” scale, but I’m probably high on the “panic” scale because I wait until the very last minute. I need the pressure of a deadline.

GODMOTHERS: In We All Worry, Now What? you wrote about “looking after” your mother in Toledo, Ohio, following your parents’ divorce. You were 10, and she had suffered a breakdown and was prescribed barbiturates—literally the same drug that was once used to put people into medically induced comas. Your home fell into disrepair and your mother would sometimes disappear into the streets in her nightgown. How, as a 10-year-old, did you function? How were you not catatonic with worry?

GS: I think 10-year-olds are actually much more capable and mature than we give them credit for. Think about all the English children who were [working in factories and mines during the British Industrial Revolution] at 6, 7, 8, 9. I think, in some ways, you’re as smart as you’re ever gonna get at 10. And then adolescence messes you up until you’re about 50 or 60—and then you get smart again.

GODMOTHERS: You turned 90 this year, so you’re well into your “smart again” era. In this moment, there seems to be a renewed sense of hope among Democrats about the presidential election and the future of our country. How are you feeling? Are you worried?

GS: I am worried. [Having Kamala Harris at the top of the ballot] is a giant step forward, but it’s been a long journey—ever since Victoria Woodhull [ran for president in the late 1870s], women haven’t been regarded as serious candidates. And people are accustomed to having a male authority in that position. But it’s certainly possible for her to win. And we’re gonna make it happen.

GODMOTHERS: Do you have any smaller, less-significant worries? Emails you haven’t replied to? Cobwebs on your bookshelves?

GS: Well, I’m worried about my editor, who’s been waiting on a book of essays from me for a long time.

GODMOTHERS: When you’re feeling worried—about the state of the world or something smaller—how do you stop the spiral and pull yourself out of it?

GS: I watch Dance Moms and old movies on television. And Suits. The narratives absorb me. I get hooked, especially late at night.

GODMOTHERS: On the surface, the next questions might seem superficial or frivolous, but with the context of We All Worry, Now What?—and the idea that rituals and routines can give you a baseline of calmness—they feel more meaningful. So with that in mind, what’s your morning routine?

GS: Well, my morning routine is very dependent on my alarm. I stay up late, so I get up late. Once I’m up, it’s turning to my iPhone and discovering all the messages that I’ve received overnight.

GODMOTHERS: How do you get your news?

GS: Mainly from my phone and late-night television. I love The New York Times, but it’s so time-consuming. I probably only read it all on Sundays.

GODMOTHERS: Are there songs that always put you in a good mood?

GS: Gypsy was one of the first shows I ever saw. And there’s a song, “Some People,” that I totally related to, because it spoke to me, to my Toledo days: “Some people can be content playing bingo and paying rent. That’s peachy for some people, for some hum-drum people to be. But some people ain’t me.” That was Ethel Merman.

GODMOTHERS: What makes your work—your writing—more enjoyable?

GS: I have favorite pens and I love yellow lined pads. I usually write on paper first, because there something about words coming out of your arm that kind of makes them more authentic or intimate.

GODMOTHERS: Is there a favorite local business that you visit in New York?

GS: Yes, there’s a luncheonette a block and a half away, EJ’s. It’s my favorite kind of restaurant because it’s open all day and most of the night. It welcomes everyone. It doesn’t matter how you’re dressed. You know, it’s a good place.

GODMOTHERS: What’s your order?

GS: If I’m having breakfast, scrambled eggs or an omelet.

GODMOTHERS: Moving on from your day-to-day life, Godmothers soft-opened last month. The name of the store was inspired by fairy godmothers—the women who cheer us on, celebrate us, and light us up. Who are the godmothers who shaped your life?

GS: I’ve had the great luck to be around many women I admire. Bella Abzug, who was the all-time great New Yorker and also a member of Congress. Patricia Carbine, who was the reason Ms. magazine survived. (She had been an editor before Ms., so she was the only one of us who really understood magazines.) Joanne Edgar and Suzanne Levine, who were also Ms. editors. We still have lunch and check in.

GODMOTHERS: What’s the best advice a “godmother” has given you?

GS: It’s probably about my health. You know, eat better, sleep better, write more. All easier said than done.

GODMOTHERS: Is there anything else you want to share with our readers? Anything you’re currently excited about?

GS: I just saw The Outsiders on Broadway. It was an amazing stage creation. It’s very well done.

GODMOTHERS: Is there a charity you’re currently supporting? Or a cause you want people to pay attention to?

GS: The Ms. Foundation. But the presidential election and getting Kamala Harris elected, that’s the most important thing.

1. Order We All Worry, Now What? now.

2. A young Gloria Steinem.

3. EJ’s Luncheonette. 1271 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10021.

4. Godmothers. 2280 Lillie Avenue, Summerland, CA 93067. (Also find us on Instagram.)

5. The Outsiders: A New Musical. Buy tickets here.

6. “Forward” by Shepard Fairey. Download it for free here. And click here to register to vote.

Quotes have been edited for length & clarity. All products mentioned were independently selected. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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Godmothers Gather: Upcoming Events

11 a.m. | Saturday, September 07
Storytime with Minh Lê & Dan Santat
author & illustrator of Built to Last

11 a.m. | Sunday, September 08
Storytime with Marla Frazee
author of In Every Life

1 p.m. | Sunday, September 08
Acoustic Concert with MILCK
singer & songwriter

2 p.m. | Sunday, September 08
In Conversation with Whitney Wolfe Herd & Jennifer Rudolph Walsh
founder of Bumble & co-founder of Godmothers

11 a.m. | Sunday, September 14
Storytime with Drew Daywalt
author of They Call Me No Sam

6 p.m. | Wednesday, September 18
In Conversation with Ed Burns
actor, filmmaker & author of A Kid from Marlboro Road

6 p.m. | Thursday, September 19
In Conversation with Diana Raab
author of Hummingbird: Messages from My Ancestors

4:30 p.m. | Saturday, September 21
The Revolutionary Love Bus Tour

6 p.m. | Thursday, September 26
In Conversation with Laura Dave & Jordan Moblo
author of The Night We Lost Him & EVP of Creative Acquisitions and IP Management for Universal Studios

11 a.m. | Saturday, September 28
Storytime with Elisa Stad
author of Mama’s Love Language

1 p.m. | Saturday, September 28
Book Signing with Marissa Meyer
author of With a Little Luck

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