Lambda Legal: Where Fire Island History Meets the Fight for Equality

Lambda Legal’s story begins right here in Fire Island Pines, conceived in 1973 at a poolside gathering where co-founder Bill Thom first envisioned an organization bold enough to take anti-gay discrimination to court and win.

What began as a radical idea is now the nation’s most influential LGBTQ+ legal organization—anchored by Lambda in the Pines, the country’s longest-running queer fundraiser.

A Community That Helped Change the Law



From the start, the Pines Community has been essential to Lambda’s success. Philanthropic leaders like David Geffen, James Pepper, and Ward Auerbach helped build that tradition, but it was the courage of everyday Pines residents who stepped forward as plaintiffs that changed the law and the nation.



Notable Lambda plaintiffs and Pines residents include Robin Byrd, Richard Burns, and James Dale, whose willingness to take the witness stand secured landmark rights for all LGBTQ+ Americans. These Fire Island pioneers understood that real progress demands both brilliant legal strategy and unshakable personal courage—a legacy that continues today.



The Power of Leadership and Legacy

Lambda Legal’s achievements would not have been possible without strong, dedicated and resilient leadership. Kevin Cathcart is one of those leaders.

A Pines homeowner for over 20 years—and a renter before that—Kevin has long been rooted in the community that helped launch Lambda’s legacy. Starting in 1992, he led Lambda Legal as executive director for nearly a quarter century, expanding its legal work, geographic reach, and national profile—helping to transform it into the LGBTQ+ civil rights powerhouse it is today.

Long an active and highly respected member of the Pines community, Kevin was honored in 2024 with a flag in the Pines’ Trailblazers Park for his decades of dedication to advancing LGBTQ rights and the rights of people living with HIV.

Today, that legacy of strong leadership continues with Kevin Jennings, Lambda Legal’s current CEO, who is guiding the organization through one of the most urgent periods in its history.

Legal Victories That Reshaped the Nation



Lambda Legal’s victories have transformed America. It helped lead the legal strategy behind Obergefell v. Hodges(2015), making marriage equality the law of the land.
In Lawrence v. Texas (2003), it struck down sodomy laws that criminalized queer lives, redefining freedom and privacy for all.
In 1983, Lambda won the nation’s first HIV/AIDS discrimination case—People v. West 12 Tenants Corp.—laying the groundwork for critical disability protections that still stand today. Today, Lambda is at the forefront of efforts to end HIV criminalization, fighting outdated laws that treat a health condition like a crime.



Fighting for Our Future—Right Now



With the tremendous successes achieved it would be tempting to say the fight is over. It would also be dead wrong.

With 533 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in 2024 alone, Lambda Legal is facing its most urgent and dangerous moment yet. Whether defending transgender youth in schools, safeguarding healthcare, challenging adoption bans, or fighting housing and employment discrimination, Lambda Legal remains the nation’s legal firewall against a rising tide of hate.



A Pines Tradition of Pride and Purpose

Here in the Pines, we’ve always known that celebration and resistance go hand in hand. Lambda in the Pines is more than a fundraiser —it is a declaration: we will not only survive, but we will also thrive!





Lambda Legal will use every tool available to defend the freedoms we’ve fought so hard to win.
 Supporting Lambda Legal means investing in a movement that was born in our backyard—and continues to reshape the legal landscape of this country. 
At a time when progress feels perilously fragile, Lambda Legal stands as our most powerful defense.



The Vision That Started Poolside Lives On



The fight for equality is far from over. But with Lambda Legal leading the charge, we face the future with the same bold vision that brought Bill Thom to that Pines pool back in 1973, ready to turn belief into victory, one case at a time.