11/11/2025
On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected a petition to overturn its landmark 2015 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide -- reaffirming the rights and dignity of more than 820,000 married same-sex couples across America. This decision carries particular weight coming from a court with a conservative supermajority, signaling that marriage equality has become a settled pillar of American civil rights.
In celebration of this momentous decision, we honor the trailblazers who made it possible: Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, the first couple to marry in San Francisco's historic 2004 same-sex wedding wave that sparked a nationwide debate over marriage equality -- a fight that would culminate eleven years later in the Supreme Court's landmark ruling.
After fifty years of unwavering commitment to each other, 83-year-old Del and 79-year-old Phyllis finally had the opportunity to wed on February 12, 2004 when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom ordered city hall to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in defiance of state and federal bans.
Sadly, their marriage license, along with those of approximately 4,000 other same-sex couples, was voided by the California Supreme Court on August 12, 2004. They married again on June 16, 2008, after the same court ruled that same-sex marriage was legal, and were once again the first couple married in San Francisco. They were the only couple married that day, with Mayor Newsom personally performing the ceremony -- a powerful moment captured in this poignant photograph.
Phyllis and Del met in Seattle in 1950 while working for the same magazine, became lovers in 1952, and moved in together in San Francisco on Valentine's Day 1953. Two years later, they joined several other le***an couples to found Daughters of Bilitis, the first national le***an political organization in the United States. They wrote two books about being le***an at a time when such literature was nearly non-existent and became the first le***an couple to join the National Organization for Women.
They also advocated for the passage of a bill outlawing employment discrimination based on sexual orientation in San Francisco and helped found the Council on Religion and the Homosexual in 1964 to encourage ministers to be more accepting of gay people in their churches. "We were trying to help le***ans find themselves," Phyllis reflected in a 1989 interview. "You can’t have a movement if you don’t have people that see that they’re worthwhile."
Tragically, Del died only months after they were married in 2008 -- barely having had time to enjoy their legally recognized marriage. Phyllis reflected at the time, "I am devastated. I take some solace in knowing we were able to enjoy the ultimate rite of love and commitment before she passed."
Phyllis continued to fight for LGBTQ rights after Del's death until her own passing in 2020 at 95 years old -- and urged others to do the same for the causes that mattered to them. "If you got stuff you want to change, you have to get out and work on it," she declared. "You can’t just sit around and say, ‘I wish this or that was different.’ You have to fight for it."
Phyllis and Del's inspiring story has been told in a lively picture book, "When You Look Out The Window," for ages 5 and up, at https://www.amightygirl.com/when-you-look-out-the-window
Edie Windsor, the activist whose lawsuit against the US government led to a landmark victory for marriage equality, wrote written a fascinating memoir about her LGBTQ activism, "A Wild And Precious Life," at https://www.amightygirl.com/a-wild-and-precious-life
For many books for children, teens, and their parents that promote acceptance and understanding of LGBTQ people, check out our blog post "True Colors: Mighty Girl Books for Pride Month" at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=12258
To inspire children and teens with the true stories of girls and women who fought for change throughout history, visit our blog post, "Dissent Is Patriotic: 50 Books About Women Who Fought for Change," at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=14364
