Lesbian Couple's Long-Awaited Day Arrives

Partners For More Than 50 Years To Say "I Do" Under California's Landmark Ruling

(CBS/ AP)  Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin fell in love at a time when U.S. lesbians risked being arrested, fired from their jobs and sent to electroshock treatment.

On Monday, more than a half-century after they became a couple, Lyon and Martin plan to become one of the first same-sex couples to legally exchange marriage vows in California.

"It was something you wanted to know, 'Is it really going to happen?' And now it's happened, and maybe it can continue to happen," Lyon says.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom plans to officiate at the private ceremony in his City Hall office before 50 invited guests. He picked Martin, 87, and Lyon, 84, for the front of the line in recognition of their long relationship and their status as pioneers of the gay rights movement.

More than 1 million Californians signed an amendment to ban same-sex
marriage, but between now and then, the state is bracing for a rush to
wed, CBS News correspondent John Blackstone reports.

Along with six other women, they founded a San Francisco social club for lesbians in 1955 called the Daughters of Bilitis. Under their leadership, it evolved into the nation's first lesbian advocacy organization. They have the FBI files to prove it.

Their ceremony Monday will, in fact, be marriage for a second time.

In February 2004, San Francisco's new mayor decided to challenge California's marriage laws by issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. His advisers and gay rights activists knew right away which couple would put the most compelling human face on the issue: Martin and Lyon.

Back then, the couple planned to celebrate their 51st anniversary as live-in lovers on Valentine's Day. Because of their work with the Daughters, they also were icons in the gay community.

"Four years ago, when they agreed to be married, it was in equal parts to support the mayor and to support the idea that lesbians and gay people formed committed relationships and should have those relationships respected," says Kate Kendell, a close friend and executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

Lyon and Martin vividly recall the excitement of being secretly swept into the clerk's office, saying "I do" in front of a tiny group of city staff members and friends, and then being rushed out of the building. There were no corsages, no bottles of champagne. Afterward they went to lunch, just the two of them, at a restaurant run as a job training program for participants in a substance abuse program.

"Of course, nobody down there knew, so we were left to be by ourselves like we wanted to be," said Martin, the less gregarious of the two. "Then we came home."

"And watched TV," adds Lyon.

The privacy was short-lived. Their wedding portrait, showing the couple cradling each other in pastel-colored pantsuits with their foreheads tenderly touching, drew worldwide attention.

Same-sex marriage would become legal in Massachusetts in another three months, but San Francisco's calculated act of civil disobedience drove the debate.

In the month that followed, more than 4,000 other couples followed Martin and Lyon down the aisle before a judge acting on petitions brought by gay marriage opponents halted the city's spree.

The state Supreme Court ultimately voided the unions, but the women were among the two dozen couples who served as plaintiffs in the lawsuits that led the same court last month to overturn California's ban on gay marriage.

They were having their morning coffee when Lyon heard the news on the radio. She rushed across the house to embrace Martin. Not long after, Newsom called to offer congratulations and to ask if they would be willing to be at the forefront yet again.

"Sure," was the answer they gave.

The couple, who live in the same San Francisco house they bought in 1956, do not get out much now. Martin needs a wheelchair to get around. Although they plan to briefly greet well-wishers at City Hall after the ceremony, they are having a private reception for friends and family.

"It's so endearing because they do seem excited and a little bit nervous," Kendell says. "It's like the classic feelings anyone has as their wedding day approaches."

Because a few other clerk's offices agreed to stay open until the court's decision becomes final at 8 p.m. EDT (0100 GMT Tuesday), other couples planning late afternoon weddings may already have tied the knot before the mayor pronounces Lyon and Martin "spouses for life."

They don't mind. They know they already are.

"We get along well," Lyon said. "And we love each other."

"I love you, too," Martin said.

[blackyowe]

It''s all just trendy, stupid, fake culture. A tiny minority pushing their oddball life style on the rest of us. Stay in California, PLEASE!? Alwqays pushing the envelope but soon the envelope will be all torn and there will nothing left to push or burn.

[libh8er]

So a couple of carpet munching ''vagitarians'' had a somewhat dubious wedding. It certainly won''t be recognized by at least 48 states.....hope it''s everything you thought it would be.

[voltaire333]

"The arc of the moral universe is a long one...And from what I see I am sure it bends toward justice."

Theodore Parker, Abolitionist

After 55 years together, Del Martin, 87, and Phyllis Lyon, 84, were finally legally married today.

[jghutto]

I am wondering ......... if this law remains in effect in California, that law will not supersede federal laws, will it, whereby Part A could draw Social Security benefits from Part B (or vise versa) in the event of one''s death? I believe the federal law is that one has to be "married" to a spouse for at least 10 years before he/she could draw those benefits......... but there is no federal law (yet) applying to a "Party A or Party B."

[jghutto]

The old ladies could have just been normal "roommates" it looks like. Living with someone as a marital partner of the same *** seems so repulsive and, further, goes against God''s teachings.

[dobbershome]

I guess DarkSkyAbove didn''t let it go after all.

[dobbershome]

Dar Sky Above:

Let it go!

[sharncedar]

"It''s so endearing because they do seem excited and a little bit nervous," Kendell says. "It''s like the classic feelings anyone has as their wedding day approaches."


How endearing. Just like blushing brides, these smelly old farts are getting "married". For the second time if you read the article.

I wonder if they will wear virginal white. I wonder how many lesbian brides are in fact virgins, what''s that, nonem not a single one in all of the world? Ooops, that is one difference with real marriage they will ahve to legislate. how about the California Supreme Court declares that all *** are officially "virgins"? Or how about all real virgins are forcefully defiled to make it fair, so there is no discrimination?

How lovely, how endearing, just like a real marriage isn''t it.

[sharncedar]

Actually they are lesbians so not technically sodomites.

[dobbershome]

They look really happy in the picture. I hope they are happy.

Another thing... all of you people who are SOOO Scared of flamboyant gay people... did you even LOOK at the two little old ladies at the top of this page!!!! They are 80!!! They are not going to be dragging each other by leashes around the neck like some people think!! Geez people, use a LITTLE common sense.

I guess we should let penguins make the decision. I will say I''''''''ve never seen a Penguin thrusting his "gayness" out there like I do when I see these perverts walking each other down the street on leashes on Michigan Avenue like I do evrytime there is a gay pride parade. You grow up.

Posted by codymac4

That''s just like Mardi Gras... EVERYONE does stupid things during events like those. What you REALLY need to do is go somewhere that gay people are not being flamboyant like that. There are lots of people who to look at them, talk to them, or be around the... you''d never know it until you caught sight of their significant other. You can''t judge an entire class of people by the actions of a few on a day where extravagance is the rule of the day.

[ianlou]

Liberals, queers, terrorist apologists.
Join the pride parade.
Obama 2008!
Posted by trracymorgan

Conservatives, Hipocrites, War Mongers
Join the funeral procession for the Republican Party.

[ianlou]

Technically untrue... *** were around BEFORE Christ!!! Try the Romans and the Greeks... Jesus came towards the END of the Regular Roman Empire.

Posted by AR_Teacher

Alexander the Great.

[tootie5565]

jbright9 well put I agree 100 percent

[ianlou]

I guess we should let penguins make the decision. I will say I''''ve never seen a Penguin thrusting his "gayness" out there like I do when I see these perverts walking each other down the street on leashes on Michigan Avenue like I do evrytime there is a gay pride parade. You grow up.

Posted by codymac4

Well there''s your problem. You need to spend more time on the Ross Ice Shelf to see the gay penguins on parade! I''ll pitch in for a one way ticket for ya.

[jbright9]

These people are not perverts or sinners. They are just people living their lives as God intended. Remember Christ loved everyone and had little use for judgemental people. Only the very ignorant truly believe this is a choice. It is who they are and they deserve to have respect.

[darnedsocks]

WHEN ARE THESE PERVERTS GOING TO GO GET SOME PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP?!

Attacking Religion is no different than attacking gay life styles.

Both are passionately followed, controversial and as old as Christ.

Posted by ianlou at 09:06 PM : Jun 16, 2008

Technically untrue... *** were around BEFORE Christ!!! Try the Romans and the Greeks... Jesus came towards the END of the Regular Roman Empire.

[ianlou]

Hey, how come you people can''''t express a difference of opinion without attacking religion?
Posted by mudrose

Attacking Religion is no different than attacking gay life styles.

Both are passionately followed, controversial and as old as Christ.