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From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues

Daughters of Bilitis

Founded in 1955 by four lesbian couples, Daughters of Bilitis (DOB) sought to educate the public about the LGBT community and conducted research to change public perceptions about lesbians and eliminate discrimination against them. Initially, they met in secret to protect themselves and to provide a place for lesbians to gather. At the time the women began meeting, the larger society condemned homosexuality. Being a lesbian meant being the potential target of church groups, risking one’s employment as there were no civil rights for gays and lesbians, and encountering generalized hostility. For many women, being a lesbian meant living in fear. The group’s name came from a poem by Pierre Louys, “Song of Bilitis,” about a woman believed to have lived on the island of Lesbos during the time of Sappho in the seventh century BC.

Originating in San Francisco, DOB developed into the first national organization of lesbians. DOB focused on two areas: providing a safe place for lesbians to gather, despite the ongoing threat of police raids, and informing both LGBT people and the general public that gays and lesbians were good citizens. In 1956, DOB began publishing The Ladder, a magazine that reported court cases relevant to LGBT civil liberties, employment discrimination, and police harassment. In the 1960s, The Ladder expanded to include articles by noted feminists, including Kate Millett and May Sarton. In 1970, DOB disbanded as a national organization, but local groups continued to meet.

See also: Lesbian Rights; Lyon, Phyllis; Martin, Del

References: Gerber/Hart Library, http://www.gerberhart.org/dob.html (accessed June 23, 2012); Slavin, U.S. Women’s Interest Groups (1995).

Citation Types

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Format
MLA 9th
"Daughters Of Bilitis." From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, edited by Suzanne O’Dea, Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0245.
APA 7th
Daughters of Bilitis. From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, In S. O’Dea (Ed.), Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0245.
CMOS 17th
"Daughters Of Bilitis." From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, Edited by Suzanne O’Dea. Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_0245.