Lesbian Activist And Pioneer Phyllis Lyon Dies At 95

This week we mourn the loss of an incredible journalist, lesbian activist, pioneer for same-sex marriage, defender of equality, and heroine to so many in the LGBTQ community: Phyllis Lyon. Mrs. Lyon died peacefully last Thursday at her home in San Francisco. She was 95 years old, and even as grieving ensues, those who pay homage to her life and accomplishments can find solace in knowing that she lived a wholly fulfilled and happy life.

Phyllis Lyon has long been recognized as a leader and champion among LGBTQ folks. She set an example for so many to fight for queer love, queer rights, and to stand up against un-inclusive policies in order to create change in this country. Lyon and her wife, Del Martin, were married in 2008 in San Francisco and changed history by becoming part of the first legal same-sex union in California.

However, that was not the couples’ first marriage. They were, in fact, issued a marriage license by gay rights proponent Mayor Gavin Newsom in 2004. That license was soon invalidated by the California Supreme Court, but that would only propel Lyons vivacity through activism. When the couple was invited back by Mr. Newsom to be legally married in the state of California, it gave them the chance to officiate their relationship of 55 years and be recognized by the nation.

Throughout their lives, Lyons and Martin worked side-by-side to create awareness, take action, and bring LGBTQ communities together so that their voices would be heard. In 1955, along with other lesbian couples, they were able to form the Daughters of Bilitis, which became one of the first lesbian political organizations in the U.S. Just a year later, they created a newsletter entitled The Ladder, which developed into one of the first lesbian magazines in the country. To add to their list of firsts, Lyon and Martin also wrote two books together: Lesbian/Woman (1972), which won a Stonewall Book Award, and Lesbian Love and Liberation (1973).

Photo courtesy of Flickr

In addition to their own contributions, Lyons and Martin were active members in many other organizations such as the National Organization for Women, the Council on Religion and the Homosexual, and the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club. These organizations were vastly influential, helping to ban employment discrimination and persuading ministers to accept lesbian and gay individuals into churches.

“We were trying to help lesbians find themselves,” Ms. Lyon said in a 1989 interview. “I mean, you can’t have a movement if you don’t have people that see that they’re worthwhile.”

While Martins died soon after the couple’s marriage in 2008, Lyons continued her efforts for the remainder of her life. She was a pillar of the San Francisco community throughout the years she lived there and is renowned in the LGBTQ community across the United States. She is survived by her daughter Kendra Mon, as well as two grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Phyllis Lyons will go down in the history books as an icon for LGBTQ rights and will be beloved by many for generations to come.