Barack Obama is among the many paying tribute to Del Martin

On the eve of a presidential nominee's acceptance speech, it's both surprising and delightful to hear praise for an LGBT American. Barack Obama has issued a statement doing just that. The statement:

“Michelle and I were deeply saddened to hear that Del Martin had passed. Del committed her life to fighting discrimination and promoting equality. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her spouse Phyllis Lyon, and all those who were touched by her life.”

USA Today has a quote from Nancy Pelosi:

"The loss of Del Martin is a great loss for me personally, and for our entire community," said Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House and longtime friend. "Del was an extraordinary woman. Her grace, courage and commitment were a source of strength to all who knew her."

Pam's House Blend has other tributes to Martin.

Obituaries have appeared in:

The New York Times

The San Francisco Chronicle

Bay Area Reporter

PageOneQ

San Francisco Bay Guardian

Gaywired.com has an interesting take entitled "Goodbye Del Martin...And Now the Fight Begins."

PHOTO: Del Martin. The full photo is at GayWired, and yes, that's Phyllis Lyon sitting next to her.

Honor Del Martin by helping defeat hate in November

Phyllis Lyon issued this statement through the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

“Ever since I met Del 55 years ago, I could never imagine a day would come when she wouldn’t be by my side. I am so lucky to have known her, loved her, and been her partner in all things,” Lyon said. “I also never imagined there would be a day that we would actually be able to get married. I am devastated, but I take some solace in knowing we were able to enjoy the ultimate rite of love and commitment before she passed.”

Gifts in lieu of flowers can be made to honor Del’s life and commitment and to defeat the California marriage ban through the Center's No On 8 PAC at www.nclrights.org/NoOn8.

The Center also posted a detailed obituary about Del's life.

Mourning Del Martin

Word has come that longtime lesbian activist Del Martin died this morning in San Francisco. She was 87. Her wife and partner of 55 years, Phyllis Lyon, was at her side. They were together almost as long as I have been alive.

I never met Del, but I take this loss personally. She and Phyllis were there for me when I came out, and they did it through their 1972 book Lesbian/Woman.

I'll never forget running into an East Lansing, Mich., bookstore in 1979 and looking around furtively to see if anyone was watching me. My hand shook as I handed over the book and my money to the store clerk. I was scared to even buy a book about lesbians, yet that simple volume taught me that not only is there no shame in living authentically, but it is the most important path a human being can walk.

TerranceDC heard the news at the LGBT Caucus at the Democratic National Convention. He happened to be standing next to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who had performed marriage ceremonies for the couple twice. The second ceremony came on the day same-sex marriag became legal in California. Newsom put their love for each other and their lives in perspective. Here is Terrance's paraphrase of just some of the mayor's comments:

They are two people who defined love and constancy, and defined — to my mind — what marriage is supposed to be about.

Thank you Del for helping to change my life. My heart goes out to Phyllis.

PHOTO: Phyllis Lyon, left, and Del Martin, right, on the day of their first marriage ceremony. The full photo is at the San Francisco Sentinel.

Love Made Visible: Marriage equality comes to California

By Diane Silver

I watched the video of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon celebrating after their marriage and cried.

I've fought letting myself feel this. Sitting 1,800 miles away in a state that refuses to acknowledge that my love matters, I had been focusing on my anger. In the run-up to today, I thought that this moment, these weddings, were just going to be another bit of cruelty. All would be yanked away by voters in November, just like equality has always been yanked away from us. That meant none of this mattered, or so I thought.

And yet, after more than 50 years of loving and living together, Martin, 87, and Lyon, 84, were finally, legally married. That has to count for something.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said this marriage was "love made visible." And so it is.

Note: Look for the video "Longtime Lesbian Couple Honored at SF Ceremony."