The Daughters of Bilitis is the first lesbian rights organization in the United States.
It was formed in San Francisco in 1955, conceived as a social alternative to lesbian bars, which were considered illegal and thus subject to raids and police harassment. It lasted for fourteen years and became a tool of education for lesbians, gay men, researchers, and mental health professionals. Their focus was to provide support to women who were afraid to come out, by educating them about their rights and gay history. The Ladder, a Lesbian Review, was published by the Daughters of Bilitis from 1956 to 1972.
“Del” Martin and Phyllis Lyon were an American lesbian couple known as feminist and gay-rights activists. They had been together as lovers for three years when they complained to a gay male couple that they did not know any other lesbians. The gay couple introduced Martin and Lyon to another lesbian couple, one of whom suggested they create a social club. In October 1955, eight women — four couples — met to provide each other with a social outlet. From the start they had a clear focus to educate other women about lesbians, and reduce their self-loathing brought on by the socially repressive times.
“Bilitis” is the name given to a fictional lesbian contemporary of Sappho, by the French poet Pierre Louÿs in his 1894 work The Songs of Bilitis in which Bilitis was an Isle of Lesbos alongside Sappho. The name was chosen for its obscurity and was meant to evoke association with other American social associations such as the Daughters of the American Revolution. Their motto was “Qui vive“, French for “on alert”.
Photo Caption: Del Martin (left center) was instrumental in many civil rights struggles, from the founding of the first social group for lesbians, “Daughters of Bilitis”, in 1955 to her wedding in June 2008 to long-time partner Phyllis Lyon (right center). Photo published in the SF Chronicle.
