Edith Windsor[1] (née Schlain; June 20, 1929 – September 12, 2017) was an American LGBT rights activist and a technology manager at IBM.

[2] The Obama administration and federal agencies extended rights, privileges and benefits to married same-sex couples because of the decision.

Windsor was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 20, 1929, the youngest of three children of James and Celia Schlain, a Russian Jewish immigrant family of modest means.

[8][11] After receiving her master's degree in mathematics in 1957 from New York University, Windsor began work in senior technical and management positions at IBM in 1958.

In May 1968, she attained the title designating the highest level technical position at IBM, senior systems programmer.

[14] In 1975, Windsor left IBM and became the founding president of PC Classics, a consulting firm specializing in software development projects.

They occasionally saw each other at events over the next two years, but it was not until a trip to the East End of Long Island in the late spring of 1965 that they began dating each other.

[12] Fearing that a traditional engagement ring might expose Windsor's sexual orientation to her coworkers, Spyer instead proposed with a circular diamond pin.

They also entertained at their home frequently, with Spyer preparing meals, including an annual Memorial Day weekend celebration of their anniversary.

Windsor used her early retirement to become a full-time caregiver for Spyer, and the couple continued to adjust their daily behavior to accommodate.

[27] In June 1969, Windsor and Spyer returned from a vacation in Italy to discover the Stonewall Riots had begun the night before.

She helped Senator Dianne Feinstein and Representative Jerrold Nadler introduce the Respect for Marriage Act at a press conference in Washington, D.C., in 2011.

They performed a concert called The Roaring Music of Women: A Tribute to the Iconic Edie Windsor in her honor on Saturday, April 7, 2018.

The Internal Revenue Service found that the exemption did not apply to same-sex marriages, denied Windsor's claim, and compelled her to pay $363,053 in estate taxes.

"[20][34] In 2012, Judge Barbara S. Jones ruled that Section 3 of DOMA was unconstitutional under the due process guarantees of the Fifth Amendment and ordered the federal government to issue the tax refund, including interest.

[35][36][37] The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case in March 2013, and on June 26 of that year issued a 5–4 decision affirming that Section 3 of DOMA was unconstitutional "as a deprivation of the liberty of the person protected by the Fifth Amendment.

[11] A 2009 documentary, Edie & Thea: A Very Long Engagement, by Susan Muska and Greta Olfsdottir, documents Windsor and Spyer's life and wedding.

[39][41] In June 2014 Windsor traveled back to Toronto, the city where she married Thea Spyer, to receive an award at WorldPride.

[46][47] The SNM is the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ rights and history,[48] while the Wall's unveiling was timed to take place during the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.

[51] Former US President Bill Clinton, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, California US Senator Dianne Feinstein, and various politicians and celebrities posted words of tribute on their Twitter accounts.