Bonnie Winokar and Mary McCarthy were pioneering LGBTQ+ advocates who spent decades building community and fighting for equality & dignity in Massachusetts. Together for over twenty years before their partnership was recognized by law, they married in Sudbury in July 2004, just days after the Commonwealth became the first state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage.

 

At the heart of their legacy is their tireless work for marriage equality. Bonnie and Mary attended every Constitutional Convention at the State House following the Goodridge decision, standing as a visible, personal argument for equal rights at critical moments in the legislative fight. Their 2004 wedding was featured in the Showtime documentary Same Sex America, bringing their story, and the broader cause, to a national audience.

 

Bonnie and Mary were not advocates on a state level; they were neighbors, friends, and iconic fixtures in the life of their local community. Together, they made their home in Maynard in 1988, becoming deeply woven into the fabric of the town through Meals on Wheels, local LGBTQ+ support groups, and annual Pride events.

 

Bonnie passed away on July 24, 2025, at the age of 81. Mary passed away on April 21, 2026, at the age of 87. They are nominated posthumously in honor of a lifetime of work that made equality more possible for all who came after them.