A pioneer in the field of LGBTQ rights, Phyllis Lyon has passed away at the age of 95 at her home in San Francisco. In 2008, she along with her partner Del Martin, was among the first same-sex couples to tie the knot when it became legal in California. Lyon and Del Martin along with other couples founded an organisation for lesbians called Daughters of Bilitis in 1955, which later became one of the leading forces in the fight for equal rights. The couple, who were together for more than 50 years, were activists and mentors long before the LGBTQ civil rights movement. A journalist by profession, Lyon passed away due to natural causes on Thursday.