The Daughters of Bilitis (/bɪˈliːtɨs/), also called the DOB or the Daughters, was the first lesbian civil and political rights organization in the United States. The organization formed in San Francisco in 1955, conceived as a social alternative to lesbian bars, which were subject to raids and police harassment. The Daughters of Bilitis endured for 14 years, and became an educational resource for lesbians, gay men, researchers, and mental health professionals.
As the DOB gained members, their focus shifted to providing support to women who were afraid to come out. The DOB educated them about their rights, and about gay history. Historian Lillian Faderman declared, "Its very establishment in the midst of witch-hunts and police harassment was an act of courage, since members always had to fear that they were under attack, not because of what they did, but merely because of who they were."
Read more about Daughters Of Bilitis: Background, History, Organizational Archives
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