“It took me a long time to accept myself as a woman. I thought that I was the only one that was different and instinctively knew not to talk about it.” - Del Martin

Del Martin had waited fifty-five long years for this moment but on the landmark date of June 16th 2008 her long-term partner Phyllis Lyon slipped a ring on to her finger. Phyllis was 83 and Del was 87. It was their second wedding but their first to be recognised by law. Couples were getting married all over the state of California that day after the Supreme Court decided to legalize same-sex marriage. It was a far cry from Del’s youth and her struggle for lesbian rights and recognition.

Del Martin (Dorothy L. Taliaferro) was born in San Francisco on the 5th of May 1921. A daughter, Kendra Mon, was the fruit of a brief marriage to James Martin. Del met Phyliss in 1950 in Seattle and they moved in together three years later on St. Valentine’s Day. They founded The Daughters of Bilitis (DOB) in 1955, the first lesbian rights organisation in the United States. It existed as an alternative to gay and lesbian bars and provided a safe place for women to meet, feel safer about coming out and be educated about their rights. It ran for 14 years. During this time, the couple edited the monthly newsletter The Ladder which was the primary voice of DOB.

They set up The Alice B. Toklas Lesbian/Gay Democratic Club in 1972, the first gay political club in the country. Del was also responsible for setting up Old Lesbians Organizing for Change.

Del became the first out lesbian to join the National Organization for Women (NOW), the largest feminist organisation in the US. She wrote three books; Lesbian/Woman with Phyllis, Lesbian Love and Liberation and also Battered Woman which dealt with domestic violence.

Just three months after her wedding day Del Martin passed away with Phyllis by her side. The man who married the couple, San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom paid tribute by saying, “Del laid the groundwork for all those who want a life of dignity, and we are forever in her debt. The greatest way we can honor the life work of Del Martin, is to continue to fight and never give up, until we have achieved equality for all.”

Del Martin was a woman dedicated to the cause, a true inspiration. A woman who stood up and took action. Her hard work and determination ensured that she got the chance to legally wed her lifelong partner on the 16th of June 2008. We should all remember Del Martin as a woman that led the way and paved the path for our generation. We still have a long way to go but if we look at what this woman achieved in 50 years we know we all can make a difference.

Del Martin (Dorothy L. Taliaferro)
May 5th 1921 - August 27th 2008

Links
edition.cnn.com article
www.gay.com article
www.edgeboston.com article
A Documentary -
No Secret Anymore: The Times of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon