EDITH WINDSOR, LGBTQ & HER ACHIEVEMENTS

EDITH WINDSOR & HER ACHIEVEMENTS

 Edith Windsor was an LGBTQ+ rights activist and a computer programmer. Her most notable work was her successful challenge of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in the Supreme Court of the United States. Windsor sued the federal government after she was denied the federal estate tax exemption for surviving spouses when her wife, Thea Spyer, passed away. DOMA defined marriage as being between a man and a woman, which meant that same-sex couples were not recognized as married by the federal government.

Windsor's case, United States v. Windsor, was heard by the Supreme Court in 2013, and the Court ruled that DOMA was unconstitutional, paving the way for federal recognition of same-sex marriage. Her victory in this case was seen as a major step forward for LGBTQ+ rights in the United States. In addition to her legal work, Windsor was also an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and spoke publicly about her experiences as a lesbian and her fight for equality. She passed away in 2017 at the age of 88.