Lesbian and pioneering LGBTQ+ activist, Ann Maguire dies at age 80!

Updated On March 18, 2024 | Published By: shahid | In Career , Death , Sexuality

Ann Maguire was the pioneering activist for the LGBTQ+ community. She herself was a lesbian but was never ashamed of telling the world about her sexuality. However, Ann died on 29 December 2023 at age 80.

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Ann Maguire and her death

LGBTQ+ activist from Massachusetts, Ann Maguire passed away on 29 December 2023. She was 80 and is survived by her partner, Harriet Gordon, two daughters and four grandchildren. Boston Globe revealed that she had a failing health and had a diagnosis of breast cancer twice.

After her death, her spouse, Harriet recalled:

“She would walk out the door every day on some mission, things large and small,”
“She just felt that the world needed to be fair and just and embrace some common sense. And that’s who she was.”

Ann Maguire with spouse Harriet (Source: Pinterest)

The two were together since 1985. They wed in 2004 and shared a very cordial and loving relationship.

What Ann’s friends say?

Tim McFeeley, who is the co-founder of the Greater Boston Lesbian and Gay Political Alliance and was also a former executive director of the Human Rights Campaign said:

“Ann Maguire was completely unashamed, unabashed, unfazed by the fact that she was a lesbian, and fearless about talking about that with people, and fearless about promoting the cause with straight people. It took a lot of courage,”

Read here: Tammy Slaton reveals her lesbian sexual orientation after her husband’s death!

Cheryl Osimo, executive director of Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition put this statement on their website:

“Ann will go down in history as one the greatest activists of all time,”

Additionally, he continued:

“Ann had the courage and commitment to change the world for future generations.”

And, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey who was openly lesbian told Boston Globe:

“Being the trailblazer she was, she made it possible for a person like me to run, and to run successfully,”
“I have a deep and profound appreciation for what Ann did. She was out there before many people, leading the fights.”

About Ann and her noble work

Ann used to co-host a gay radio show in the 1970s. Furthermore , she stood for rights of LGBTQ+ community and supported breast cancer research. Her show was called Gay Way and it was aired on WBUR, Boston’s NPR affiliate. During the video interview with Stonewall Portraits online series, she had said:

“We would go off the air and the lights would just be lit up for calls coming in, for people to just ask a question, to just thank us,”

She was also into political organizing. In 1974, she did promotion for lesbian Elaine Noble’s first campaign for Massachusetts House. Subsequently, Elaine won that campaign and was the first out LGBTQ+ person who was elected to any state legislature in the U.S.

Ann ran Thomas Menino’s first campaign for the post of Boston mayor in 1993. Thomas won and gave Ann charge of the city’s health and human services. Moreover, she served the Boston’s Emergency Shelter Commission. Ann also helped Raymond Flynn, the Boston Mayor in his work.

Ann co-founded the Greater Boston Lesbian and Gay Political Alliance. She held a leadership position in the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (which is now National LGBTQ Task Force). Moreover, Ann also co-founded the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition. She was the first board president of this coalition. Ann had a key position in the National Breast Cancer Coalition as well.

Ann was manager of two lesbian bars: Sisters in Provincetown and Somewhere in Boston.

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