Lily Tomlin is a prominent champion for LGBTQ+ rights, acting as a long-time supporter, fundraiser, and advocate for the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Alongside her partner Jane Wagner, she has supported initiatives for homeless LGBTQ youth, seniors, and equality advocacy. Additionally, she supports arts and equality-focused causes.
Key areas of her advocacy include:
- LGBTQ+ Rights: She is heavily involved with the L.A. LGBT Center, which provides services such as housing for homeless youth and seniors.
- Equality and Social Justice: She frequently supports causes dedicated to equality and has been involved in supporting narratives that highlight trailblazers like Billie Jean King.
- Cultural and Arts Support: She and Jane Wagner have supported the center's Cultural Arts Center.
- Animal Welfare: A dedicated activist for animals, she particularly focuses on the protection of elephants. She narrated the documentary An Apology to Elephants and serves on the boards of organizations like Actors and Others for Animals and the Shambala Sanctuary.
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Women’s Rights: She has been a fierce advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and has supported numerous female political candidates. She has also worked with organizations like
Rosie’s Place the first shelter for homeless women in the U.S.
- Aging with Dignity: In her recent work, particularly in the series Grace and Frankie, she has been recognized by AARP for dismantling stereotypes about aging and fighting ageism in the entertainment industry.
- Humanitarian Efforts: She has been honored for her impact in breaking the cycle of homelessness and poverty, receiving the Golden Heart Award from the Honickman Foundation.
Edith "Edie" Windsor (1929–2017) was a pioneering LGBTQ+ rights activist and a primary champion for marriage equality. She is best known as the lead plaintiff in the landmark 2013 Supreme Court case United States v. Windsor, which overturned Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
Her advocacy and victory established that the federal government must recognize legally married same-sex couples, granting them equal access to over 1,100 federal benefits and protections.
Key Aspects of Edie Windsor's Advocacy:
- Marriage Equality & Federal Recognition: After being forced to pay a massive inheritance tax upon the death of her wife, Thea Spyer, because their marriage was not recognized by the federal government, Windsor challenged this injustice and won.
- LGBTQ+ Rights and Advocacy: Following her 2013 victory, she was recognized as a global icon for freedom, dignity, and equality, famously stating, "If you have to outlive a great love, I can't think of a better way to do it than being everybody's hero".
- LGBTQ+ Elder Advocacy: She served on the board of SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders) and was a dedicated supporter of older LGBTQ+ people.
- LGBTQ+ Equality and Visibility: She was a prominent advocate for equality, participating in marches and volunteering with various organizations, including the LGBT Community Center and Old Queers Acting Up.
- Tech Industry Inclusion: As a senior systems programmer at IBM, she was a pioneering woman in technology and later helped LGBTQ+ organizations become more "tech literate".
Her 2013 Supreme Court victory was a direct precursor to the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.