Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon

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

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

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

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

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

• Daughters of Bilitis
• LGBT rights in the United States
• Same-sex marriage in California
• The Ladder (magazine)