Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon facts for kids
Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon were an American couple known for being champions of equality and human rights. They worked tirelessly to make the world a fairer place for everyone, especially for people who were treated differently because of who they loved.
Del and Phyllis met in 1950 and became partners in 1952. They moved in together on Valentine's Day in 1953 in San Francisco. Just two years later, in 1955, they started the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB). This was the very first social and political group for lesbians in the United States. They both helped lead the group and edited its magazine, The Ladder, for many years.
They also helped create the Council on Religion and the Homosexual (CRH) to encourage churches to welcome gay people. They worked to make sure that being gay was not against the law in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They were active in San Francisco's first gay political group, the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club. This group helped convince the mayor, Dianne Feinstein, to create a law against unfair treatment in jobs for gay and lesbian people.
Del and Phyllis were married on February 12, 2004, in San Francisco. This was one of the first same-sex weddings allowed by Mayor Gavin Newsom. However, this marriage was later canceled by the California Supreme Court. They got married again on June 16, 2008, after same-sex marriage became legal in California. Del passed away two months later, on August 27, 2008, at the age of 87. Phyllis passed away on April 9, 2020, at the age of 95.
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About Del Martin
Quick facts for kids
Del Martin
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Del Martin in 1972
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| Born |
Dorothy Louise Taliaferro
May 5, 1921 |
| Died | August 27, 2008 (aged 87) San Francisco, California, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of California, Berkeley San Francisco State College |
| Known for | Daughters of Bilitis |
| Spouse(s) |
James Martin
(m. 1940; div. 1944)Phyllis Lyon
(m. 2004; voided 2004)
(m. 2008) |
| Children | Kendra Mon |
Del Martin was born Dorothy Louise Taliaferro on May 5, 1921, in San Francisco. She was a very bright student and graduated from George Washington High School. She was married for four years to James Martin and kept his last name after their divorce. She had one daughter named Kendra Mon.
Del passed away on August 27, 2008, in San Francisco, at 87 years old. Her wife, Phyllis, was by her side. The mayor of San Francisco, Gavin Newsom, ordered flags at City Hall to be lowered to half-staff to honor her.
In 1977, Del became involved with the Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press (WIFP). This group works to help women communicate more and connect the public with media created by women. Del also helped start the Lesbian Mothers Union.
About Phyllis Lyon
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Phyllis Lyon
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Lyon in 2008
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| Born |
Phyllis Ann Lyon
November 10, 1924 |
| Died | April 9, 2020 (aged 95) San Francisco, California, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of California, Berkeley |
| Known for | Daughters of Bilitis |
| Spouse(s) |
Del Martin
(m. 2004; voided 2004)
(m. 2008) |
Phyllis Lyon was born on November 10, 1924, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She studied journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, and graduated in 1946. She worked as a reporter for a newspaper in the 1940s. In the 1950s, she worked for two magazines in Seattle.
On June 26, 2015, when the U.S. Supreme Court made gay marriage legal across the country, Phyllis was 90 years old. She was very happy about the news. She passed away on April 9, 2020, at the age of 95.
Their Partnership and Marriage
Del and Phyllis first met in Seattle in 1950 while working for the same magazine. They became partners in 1952 and moved to San Francisco together in 1953. They learned to live together, even with small disagreements. Phyllis once said, "Del would leave her shoes in the middle of the room, and I'd throw them out the window." Del replied, "You'd have an argument with me and try to storm out the door. I had to teach you to fight back."
On February 12, 2004, Del and Phyllis received a marriage license in San Francisco. This happened after Mayor Gavin Newsom said that marriage licenses should be given to same-sex couples.
However, this marriage, along with thousands of others, was canceled by the California Supreme Court on August 12, 2004. Phyllis shared how upsetting this was: "Del is 83 years old and I am 79. After being together for more than 50 years, it is a terrible blow to have the rights and protections of marriage taken away from us. At our age, we do not have the luxury of time."
They were married again on June 16, 2008. This happened after the California Supreme Court decided that same-sex marriage was legal. They were once again the first couple to be married in San Francisco on that day.
Their Activism and Impact
Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon dedicated their lives to fighting for equality and human rights.
Daughters of Bilitis
In 1955, Del and Phyllis, along with six other women, started the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB). This was the first national organization for lesbians in the United States. Phyllis was the first editor of DOB's newsletter, The Ladder, starting in 1956. Del took over as editor from 1960 to 1962.
Within five years, the Daughters of Bilitis had groups all over the country. The Ladder magazine had 500 subscribers, but many more women read it by sharing copies. Del and Phyllis were honored for their work on The Ladder by being inducted into the LGBT Journalists Hall of Fame in 2005. The Daughters of Bilitis group ended in 1970 as new ways of activism emerged.
National Organization for Women
Del and Phyllis were also active in the National Organization for Women (NOW) starting in 1967. Del Martin was the first openly lesbian woman elected to NOW's board of directors. In 1970, she wrote about how lesbian feminists were different from the male-led gay rights movement. She felt that the leaders of that movement did not speak for women. Lyon and Martin worked to fight against prejudice within NOW. They helped NOW pass a resolution in 1971 that said issues affecting lesbians were also important feminist issues.
San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women
In 1977, Del Martin was the first openly gay woman appointed to the San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women (SFCOSW). She worked with other commissioners to focus on the rights of gay women and to fight against unfair treatment based on race or background. Later, in their work with a health clinic, Del and Phyllis focused on the specific health needs of Black and Latina gay women. Del understood the importance of considering cultural backgrounds in health care.
Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club
Lyon and Martin were both active in San Francisco's first gay political organization, the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club. This club was named after a famous author from San Francisco, Alice B. Toklas.
Lyon-Martin Health Services
Lyon-Martin Health Services was started in 1979. It was founded by doctors and health activists as a clinic for lesbians who needed fair and affordable health care. The clinic was named after Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin. It became a great example of community-based health care that understood different cultures. Since 1993, Lyon-Martin has also helped women with HIV and transgender people who have low incomes or no health insurance.
Senior Activists
In 1989, Martin and Lyon joined a group called Old Lesbians Organizing for Change. In 1995, they were chosen to be delegates for the White House Conference on Aging. Del was chosen by Senator Dianne Feinstein, and Lyon by Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi.
Legacy and Honors
Documentary Films
In 2003, a filmmaker named JEB released a documentary film about Del and Phyllis called No Secret Anymore: The Times of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. Another documentary from 1993, Last Call at Maud's, also featured them.
Honors
In 2014, Del Martin was one of the first people honored on the Rainbow Honor Walk in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood. This walk of fame recognizes LGBTQ+ people who have made important contributions.
In June 2019, Del Martin was one of the first fifty American "pioneers, trailblazers, and heroes" added to the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor. This wall is part of the Stonewall National Monument in New York City. The monument is the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights and history. Del was honored during the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.
In June 2020, Phyllis Lyon was also added to the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor.
In Popular Culture
Rosie O'Donnell played Del Martin and Maddie Corman played Phyllis Lyon in the TV miniseries When We Rise, which was about LGBT rights.
An episode of the podcast Making Gay History is also about Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon.
Shannon Purser played Del Martin and Heather Matarazzo played Phyllis Lyon in the HBO Max series Equal.
Archival Sources
Many records of Lyon and Martin's work and activism are kept at the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco. These records include files from the Daughters of Bilitis. Researchers can use this collection to learn more about their lives.
See also
- LGBT culture in San Francisco
