Noted lesbian activist Kathy Worthington dies
By Jennifer W. Sanchez
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 03/01/2007 06:54:06 AM MST
Posted: 6:56 AM- When her partner, Sara Hamblin, was suffering from breast cancer some 10 years ago, Kathy Worthington fought her employer to take a leave to care for Hamblin and won. Then she battled the hospital that refused to name her as Hamblin's "spouse" and won.
Now, the couple's ashes will be joined together.
Worthington, a well-known Utah gay community activist, died in her Taylorsville home on Feb. 22 - the day after the one-year anniversary of Hamblin's death. She was 56. People close to Worthington declined to say how she died.
Worthington, a divorced mother of two daughters, came out publicly as a lesbian in 1989, according to an obituary in Wednesday's Tribune. She later became known as an advocate for gay and straight women's rights, breast cancer awareness and for people who had left The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
She started a lesbian community newsletter and also organized social and women's support groups. Worthington later founded a Web site (www.mormonnomore.com) that provides information about how to resign from the Mormon church.
"She really had no fear about being a pioneer," said Marie Duffin, who became friends with Worthington in the past year. "She defended people who didn't have people to defend them."
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http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5330405R.I.P.