Gloria Steinem awarded Spain's prestigious Princess of Asturias prize for her 'tireless commitment to feminism'

Feminist icon Gloria Steinem, one of the leaders of the American women’s movement in the 1970s and 1980s, was on Wednesday awarded Spain’s prestigious Princess of Asturias communications and humanities prize. The 87-year-old US journalist and activist was described “a motor of one of the great revolutions of contemporary society,” in a statement from the prize organisers. “Over six decades, her solid and tireless commitment to feminism, her awareness and her willingness to include all voices, have promoted equality as one of the fundamental values of humanity,” it added. Spain’s Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who has made feminism a banner of his government, congratulated Steinem, calling her a “tireless fighter for women’s rights”. “A very deserved recognition, which is also for a crucial and unstoppable movement: feminism,” he added in a tweet. Previous winners of the award include US photographer Annie Leibovitz, Argentine comic musical group Les Luthiers and Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Super Mario Bros. The $61,000 award is one of eight Asturias prizes handed out yearly by a foundation named for Crown Princess Leonor. Others categories include social sciences, sport and scientific research. The awards are presented each autumn in the northern city of Oviedo in a ceremony broadcast live on Spanish TV.