"We should argue for or against it," Steinem said. "But we should not use the Bible as our argument."

She warned against the historical partnership between religion and patriarchal power, telling the audience to be inclusive. From this connection, she offered her beliefs on men's responsibility to women.

"Godliness is present in women, men, and in all living things," she said. Modern-day women must "relieve men from the impossible soul-burden of being godlike."

The call for inclusiveness carried over into Steinem's remarks on gender politics.

"Though we've demonstrated to the public that women can do what men can do, our next task is to show that men can do what women can do," Steinem said, as the audience applauded.

Steinem urged not only an equality of opportunity between men and women, but also an equality of responsibility.

"I don't think we can answer the 'can I combine career and family?' question until men ask it as much as women ask it," Steinem said, sparking another round of applause.