U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, known for her groundbreaking roles in American politics, has died at 90.
News outlets like television station KGO of San Francisco and the New York Times confirmed the news of her death.
The California Democrat was a pioneer for women, becoming San Francisco’s first female Board of Supervisors president and mayor and later one of California’s first female U.S. senators.
Kamala Harris honors Dianne Feinstein
During her time in public service, Feinstein championed women’s and LGBTQ+ rights.
In a time of crisis for San Francisco’s gay community, she took the politically risky step of closing the city’s bathhouses in an effort to combat the spread of AIDS. Under her leadership, San Francisco General Hospital became a global standard-setter for HIV/AIDS healthcare.
On women’s issues, Feinstein was instrumental in reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act and authored the 2022 Respect for Marriage Act, federalizing marriage equality. She became the first woman in California to win a major party’s gubernatorial nomination and was the first woman to chair the Senate Rules and Intelligence Committees.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “Dianne Feinstein, right from the start, was an icon for women in politics,” according to KGO.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called her a “legend.”
Feinstein had announced plans to retire in 2024—her passing leaves a lasting legacy in American politics, particularly in women’s and LGBTQ+ rights.
This story is developing and will be updated with additional details...
