Queer History 107: The Daughters of Bilitis

From secret social club to revolutionary force – the women who changed queer history forever

In a world where being yourself could get you arrested, institutionalized, or worse, eight women decided to host a goddamn picnic. That picnic club – the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB) – became the first recognized lesbian civil rights organization in the United States and sparked a revolution that would change queer history forever. This isn't just another boring historical footnote; it's the story of women who risked everything to carve out space for themselves when no one else would.

Let's be real – what started as a way for "Sapphics to dance and talk together" (the most lesbian thing I've ever heard) evolved into the first nationally published lesbian magazine in America and eventually led to the first gay wedding in California. These women weren't just creating community; they were planting the seeds of a movement while the rest of society was trying to pretend they didn't exist.