Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon
Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Activists |
| Known for | Founding the Daughters of Bilitis |
Del Martin (May 5, 1921 – August 27, 2008) and Phyllis Lyon (November 10, 1924 – April 9, 2020) were an American lesbian couple known for their work as LGBT rights activists. They were the founders of the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB), the first social and political organization for lesbians in the United States.
Early Life[edit | edit source]
Del Martin was born Dorothy Louise Taliaferro in San Francisco, California. Phyllis Lyon was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Both women pursued higher education, with Martin attending the University of California, Berkeley and Lyon attending the University of California, Berkeley and later the University of California, Los Angeles.
Relationship[edit | edit source]
Martin and Lyon met in 1950 while working as journalists in Seattle, Washington. They began their romantic relationship in 1952 and moved to San Francisco in 1953. They lived together for over 50 years before legally marrying in 2008, shortly before Martin's death.
Activism[edit | edit source]
In 1955, Martin and Lyon co-founded the Daughters of Bilitis, the first social and political organization for lesbians in the United States. The organization provided a safe space for lesbians to meet and discuss issues affecting their community. It also published The Ladder, the first nationally distributed lesbian publication in the U.S.
Martin and Lyon were also involved in other LGBT rights organizations, including the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club. They were vocal advocates for same-sex marriage and other LGBT rights issues.
Legacy[edit | edit source]
Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon are remembered as pioneers in the LGBT rights movement. Their work with the Daughters of Bilitis and other organizations helped to pave the way for future generations of LGBT activists. They have been honored with numerous awards and recognitions for their contributions to the LGBT community.
See Also[edit | edit source]
- Daughters of Bilitis
- LGBT rights in the United States
- Same-sex marriage in California
- The Ladder (magazine)
References[edit | edit source]
External Links[edit | edit source]
 | This article about lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender topics is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it. |
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.- Use mdy dates from October 2023
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1921 births
- 2008 deaths
- 1924 births
- 2020 deaths
- American LGBT rights activists
- Lesbian feminists
- People from San Francisco
- University of California, Berkeley alumni
- University of California, Los Angeles alumni
- National Organization for Women people
- American journalists
- American women journalists
- American social activists
- American feminists
- American women activists
- American LGBT writers
- American women writers
- 20th-century American women
- 21st-century American women
- LGBT stubs
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
