Del Martin Dies

Del Martin, a gay rights pioneer who founded the Daughters of Bilitis and who recently married her partner of 55 years, Phyllis Lyon, died this morning.

Martin and Lyon were the first couple who San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom married during the city’s powerful act of civil disobedience in 2004. Just a few weeks ago, they were one of the first same-sex couples in California to finally be legally married.

Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon have been special, powerful faces of the same-sex marriage movement. May Del Martin rest in peace.