Gay Rights Pioneer Del Martin Dead at 87

Del Martin, who just this past June wed her partner of nearly 55 years when gay marriage was legalized in California, died Wednesday morning with her wife, Phyllis Lyon, by her side, according to the National Center for Lesbian Rights. She was 87.

Martin and Lyon became the first couple to legally tie the knot in California, on June 16. The pair first married in 2004 after San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom ordered the city of San Francisco to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The marriage was later invalidated by the courts.

“They defined, from my perspective, what marriage was supposed to be about,” Newsom, speaking from the LGBT Caucus at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, said of Martin and Lyon. "Years ago, to put a human face on the issue of gay marriage, we called Phyllis and Del to be the test case. Del Martin came to her [second] wedding in a wheelchair. Del and Phyllis were on their way to their 56th anniversary.... We had a gift of a lifetime -- to allow them both to say 'I do' yet again.”

Lyon and Martin first met in Seattle in 1950 and entered into a formal partnership in 1953. Along with six other women, the two formed the first national organization for lesbians, the Daughters of Bilitis.

The following year, the organization put out its first magazine, The Ladder, which soon attained national circulation. Martin and Lyon were among the first inductees into the LGBT Journalism Hall of Fame.

In 1995, Martin and Lyon were named delegates to the White House Conference on Aging: Martin by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and Lyon by Rep. Nancy Pelosi.

“We are greatly saddened by the passing of such an extraordinary and courageous woman," Kathryn Kolbert, president of People for the American Way, said in a statement. "Del Martin and her partner of 55 years, Phyllis Lyon, fought for decades to secure equal rights for all Americans regardless of sex or sexual orientation. In recognition of their legendary struggle, Del and Phyllis became the first same-sex couple to wed in California after the state supreme court mandated equal marriage rights for gay men and lesbians.

“We can see in retrospect that the ruling came just in time for Del and Phyllis to gain what they so dearly deserved -- equal state legal recognition and rights for their 55 years together. It’s wonderful that the recent legal advances in California enabled such a fitting tribute."

A news release issued by NCLR urged that in lieu of flowers, gifts in Martin’s name be made online at www.NCLRights.org/NoOn8 to help in the fight against Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative to ban same-sex marriage. (The Advocate)