Gay rights pioneer dies.

One of the pioneers of the movement for equality of rights of gay men and lesbians, Barbara Gittings, has died. She was 75 years of age.

In the 1950s she helped found the lesbian rights group Daughters of Bilitis and edited the publication The Ladder for a few years in the 60s. In 1965 she helped organize the gay picket line at the White House.

A half century ago she met her life partner Kay Lahausen, who with Gittings wrote The Gay Crusaders. Lahausen and Gittings recently moved into an assisted living center and it was there Gittings went into a coma and then died on Sunday.

She was born July 31, 1932 in Vienna, Austria where her father was an American diplomat. She is survived by her partner Kay, age 77 and by a sister.

Photo: Gittings (left) and Lahausen.