As early as 1970, shortly after the Stonewall rebellion, Ms. Abzug was photographed by GAY newspaper at a campaign fund-raiser thrown for her by Barbra Streisand and she was quoted saying, "What can I do for the gay community now?" In that same newspaper she was often shown—wearing her famous hats-- campaigning vigorously at such unusual locales as Manhattan's Continental Baths and on Fire Island.

"Bella Abzug was a brave and dedicated advocate of fairness for lesbian and gay Americans," said Elizabeth Birch, HRC's executive director. "We all owe her an enormous debt as the pioneer who tried against enormous odds to extend civil rights protections on the basis of sexual orientation. We will carry on that work in her name."

In 1975, Ms. Abzug introduced a bill to extend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to lesbians and gays. The measure would have outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing, employment and public accommodations. Although it has never moved out of committee, the bill has been reintroduced every Congress since.

"Bella Abzug was light years ahead of her time when it came to advocating for lesbian and gay equality," Birch said. "She laid the groundwork for what has become the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a bill to outlaw job discrimination based on sexual orientation."

"Bella Abzug understood that oppressions are connected and that they share the roots of ignorance and intolerance. And she not only understood, she acted," stated National Gay and Lesbian Task Force executive director Kerry Lobel. "As right-wing forces in our country work to extinguish democracy by attacking people of color, immigrants, women, the poor, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, and other marginalized communities, more than ever, Bella Abzug is an example and inspiration for us all."

Among her many achievements, in 1970 Ms. Abzug was the first Jewish woman elected to Congress. She was active in the civil rights movement as early as the 1940's. She stood up to the infamous McCarthy red hunts, actively opposed the Vietnam war, worked to ban nuclear weapons, and fiercely advocated for the rights of women.

Lobel, citing Ms. Abzug's fearless leadership and defense of democracy, issued a call to Congress members and all public policy makers to heed her example:

"The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force calls on those in Congress and other public policy makers to live up to the example set by Bella Abzug of unyielding courage, compassion, and commitment to democracy."