Ms.

Launched in January 1972 as a standalone monthly publication, Ms. magazine emerged from a special insert in New York magazine to become the first national periodical dedicated entirely to feminist issues. Gloria Steinem co-founded the outlet alongside Dorothy Pitman Hughes and a team of journalists including Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Mary Thom, and Patricia Carbine. Clay Felker, the publisher of New York, provided initial backing that allowed the project to separate from its parent publication within months. The early years were turbulent; original publisher Elizabeth Forsling Harris sold her stake back to the company less than a year after launch and subsequently filed a $1.7 million lawsuit over ownership rights.

The publication operated on a monthly schedule from 1972 through 1987, reaching peak circulation during the second-wave feminist movement. In 2001, the Feminist Majority Foundation acquired the title and shifted the release frequency to quarterly issues while maintaining an independent editorial voice focused on women's rights, reproductive health, and political inequality. As of September 2026, the magazine continues to publish content through its website at msmagazine.com and in print editions.

A significant shift occurred in early September 2026 with the death of co-founder Gloria Steinem at age 92. News outlets reported she passed away peacefully at her home on September 3, 2026. Her passing coincided with the death of fellow founding figure Robin Morgan, who died at age 85 later that month. Despite these losses, the organization published tributes honoring their legacies and continued releasing articles on topics such as maternal mortality in Zambia and Malawi, menopause policy advocacy, and disability justice. [edit]