Del Martin, the pioneering lesbian
rights activist who was first to marry in San Francisco, died today
at age 87. She leaves behind her partner of over fifty years,
Phyllis Lyon.
The pair were married on June 16th,
the first day that gay marriage was available in California, by Mayor
Gavin Newsom. They were also the only couple to marry in San
Francisco on that historic first day.
Martin and Lyon founded the Daughters
of Bilitis in 1955, the first social and political organization for
lesbians in the United States.
Martin died Wednesday morning at a San
Francisco hospital, reports The Associated Press.
Gay groups mourned the loss of such a
prominent activist.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss
of Del Martin and our sympathies are with Phyllis Lyon in this
difficult time,” said Truth Wins Out Executive Director Wayne
Besen. “Through her bravery and persistence, Del gave people like
myself the opportunity to live openly and honestly and I thank her
for her enormous contributions to the GLBT community. She is a
genuine hero and a person future generations will look up to with
admiration and pride.”
Media watchdog group GLAAD called her
“a leader and an inspiration.”
Pro-gay group Parents, Families and
Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) said Martin “lifted the hearts
of Americans, again and again, as they [along with her partner] led
the fight for marriage equality in California and the nation.”