LGBT Movements in The United States - Daughters of Bilitis

Daughters of Bilitis

The Daughters of Bilitis (DOB), was the first lesbian rights organization in the U.S. It was formed in San Francisco, California in 1955 by four lesbian couples, including Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin who began meeting with other female couples to create a social alternative to lesbian bars, which were considered illegal and thus subject to raids and police harassment. The DOB followed the model of the homophile movement as developed by the Mattachine Society by encouraging its members to assimilate as much as possible into the prevailing heterosexual culture. The DOB advertised itself as "A Woman's Organization for the purpose of Promoting the Integration of the Homosexual into Society."

As the DOB gained members, their focus shifted to providing support to women who were afraid to come out by educating them about their rights and their history. When the club realized they weren't allowed to advertise their meetings in the newspaper, Lyon and Martin began to print the group's newsletter, The Ladder, in October 1956. It became the first nationally distributed lesbian publication in the U.S. and was distributed to a closely guarded list of subscribers, a list DOB organizers feared could incriminate its readers if obtained by police or FBI investigators. Barbara Gittings was editor for The Ladder from 1963 to 1968 when she passed her editorship to Barbara Grier, who greatly expanded it, until the publication met its end in 1972 due to lack of funding.

By 1959 there were chapters of the DOB in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Rhode Island along with the original chapter in San Francisco. In 1969, Grier reported of an Australia chapter as well as attempts to form chapters in New Zealand and Scandinavia. The group also held conferences every two years from 1960 to 1968. The DOB lasted for fourteen years and became a tool of education for lesbians, gay men, researchers, and mental health professionals. As a national organization, the DOB folded in 1970, although some local chapters still continue.

Martin and Lyon also have the distinction of being the first legally married gay couple in the U.S. at the start of the historic San Francisco 2004 same-sex weddings. Their marriage was voided 6 months later by the California Supreme Court.