Gloria Steinem has spent much of her 70-year career championing the power of listening across differences. In this quote, the legendary feminist activist frames empathy as downright radical. True empathy means stepping beyond ourselves to feel and understand the experiences of others, even those we may otherwise dismiss due to fear and judgment. For Steinem, empathy isn’t just a feeling; it’s a call to action that challenges societal hierarchies and assumptions about who deserves care or attention. Real change begins when we allow ourselves to see, feel, and respond to the lives of others.