Edith "Edie" Windsor was an American LGBTQ+ rights activist and a technology pioneer at IBM. After the death of her partner of 44 years, Thea Spyer, Windsor was forced to pay massive estate taxes that a surviving spouse in a heterosexual marriage would not have to pay, because the U.S. government did not recognize their marriage.
"Marriage is a magic word. And it is magic throughout the world. It says we are a family."
Impact
Windsor's lawsuit against the federal government led to the landmark 2013 Supreme Court case United States v. Windsor. The court ruled that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was unconstitutional. This historic decision was the crucial turning point that eventually led to the legalization of same-sex marriage nationwide in the United States two years later. Edie proved that it is never too late to fight for justice and love.