Rusty Gordon was a pioneer in the women's and LGBT movements.  Rusty was listed as one of the  women in the book "Feminists who Changed America" by Barbara J. Love in 2007.  Rusty was drawn to folk music in the early 60’s.  She was owner and operator of several firms for management, booking and promotion of singers, especially women’s music; and to write song lyrics. As a music producer, she began producing women's concerts and festivals in the 70's and was an early supporter of lesbian musical artists.

In 1967, she founded the Whimsy Political Clearinghouse in South Florida, with a focus on women's studies and LGBT issues. As an archivist, the Clearinghouse collected some 10,000 books and articles, some rare, on 12 topics. Later, the Clearinghouse maintained loops, or e-mail lists, to send articles on those topics to some 200,000 readers and activists.

She was well known in NOW circles in South Florida and nationally and helped found the Florida LGBT Democratic Caucus in 1995 where she served as vice president and honored as Chair Emeritus from 2008. Rusty was a Democratic Party activist and energetic campaign worker for local, state and national candidates; as well as member of the Palm Beach County Democratic Executive Board. Rusty Gordon was passionate about her work as coach, teacher, and fighter for justice and developer of talent, both musical and political. Rusty died at her home in Palm Beach County on October 27, 2009.