Save the Children from Anita Bryant
Recognition, awareness, publicity, and conversation. Thanks to Anita Bryant, all of these words can describe the queer community in the late 1970s. Many queer organizations and ordinances were formed during this timeframe in The United States. The most successful and controversial was The Save Our Children campaign. Created by Anita Bryant, it is ultimately what led to the increased conversation about homosexual rights in America. Almost a decade after the Stonewall Riots, this was the next wave of resistance. Ordinances trying to take away rights from homosexuals were created and repealed. But most importantly, there was a discussion that led to a new awareness. Bryant’s celebrity created a spotlight on …show more content…
The Dade County Coalition for Humanistic Rights formed in 1976 and proposed the Dade ordinance, demanding injustice in the workplace and housing due to sexual orientation to be unlawful (Global Nonviolent Action Database). This was not the first ordinance to declare such protections, but it was the most controversial of its time. After an increase of civil rights movements for equality, the queer community felt it necessary to gain legal rights and protection under the law. A campaign against the law was headed by The Save Our Children campaign, which was created as a direct response to the Dade ordinance (The Washington Post).
Anita Bryant founded The Save Our Children organization. As a devout Christian and a mother of four, Bryant felt it her duty to speak out against the ordinance to protect society from homosexuality. Her main concern was that homosexuals would come for the children of heterosexuals, her reasoning was that "since homosexuals cannot reproduce, they must recruit, must freshen their ranks" (GLBT Archive). Her personal beliefs are the foundation of her organization. Bryant discussed her views on homosexuality and the Dade …show more content…
Those opposing the Briggs Initiative, spoke out publicly. Gay activists wrote a song in 1977 called “Squeeze a fruit for Anita”. It discussed the Briggs Initiative and the need for the queer community to join as one:
“Well, we’ve come to the conclusion how people with power feel they’ve got the right / to say don’t be gay just cause it ain’t their way, to do nothing in broad daylight. / Well it’s plain to see, we’re talking about freedom and everybody’s rights / So if you’re a queen, stand up and screaming, cause now it’s time to unite.” (Squeeze a Fruit for Anita)
The call to unite against Anita Bryant was what drove the queer community to speak openly. She “prompted gay men and lesbians to organize on a national scale” (Van Cleve 6).
Bryant could not keep up with the pro-gay organizations. Florida Orange Growers terminated her contract, her marriage had dissolved and she eventually divorced her husband. Her public image was destroyed. The queer community however, was strengthened by Bryant’s efforts. The Briggs Initiative was voted against and resulted in a strengthening of the community as a
Recognition, awareness, publicity, and conversation. Thanks to Anita Bryant, all of these words can describe the queer community in the late 1970s. Many queer organizations and ordinances were formed during this timeframe in The United States. The most successful and controversial was The Save Our Children campaign. Created by Anita Bryant, it is ultimately what led to the increased conversation about homosexual rights in America. Almost a decade after the Stonewall Riots, this was the next wave of resistance. Ordinances trying to take away rights from homosexuals were created and repealed. But most importantly, there was a discussion that led to a new awareness. Bryant’s celebrity created a spotlight on …show more content…
The Dade County Coalition for Humanistic Rights formed in 1976 and proposed the Dade ordinance, demanding injustice in the workplace and housing due to sexual orientation to be unlawful (Global Nonviolent Action Database). This was not the first ordinance to declare such protections, but it was the most controversial of its time. After an increase of civil rights movements for equality, the queer community felt it necessary to gain legal rights and protection under the law. A campaign against the law was headed by The Save Our Children campaign, which was created as a direct response to the Dade ordinance (The Washington Post).
Anita Bryant founded The Save Our Children organization. As a devout Christian and a mother of four, Bryant felt it her duty to speak out against the ordinance to protect society from homosexuality. Her main concern was that homosexuals would come for the children of heterosexuals, her reasoning was that "since homosexuals cannot reproduce, they must recruit, must freshen their ranks" (GLBT Archive). Her personal beliefs are the foundation of her organization. Bryant discussed her views on homosexuality and the Dade …show more content…
Those opposing the Briggs Initiative, spoke out publicly. Gay activists wrote a song in 1977 called “Squeeze a fruit for Anita”. It discussed the Briggs Initiative and the need for the queer community to join as one:
“Well, we’ve come to the conclusion how people with power feel they’ve got the right / to say don’t be gay just cause it ain’t their way, to do nothing in broad daylight. / Well it’s plain to see, we’re talking about freedom and everybody’s rights / So if you’re a queen, stand up and screaming, cause now it’s time to unite.” (Squeeze a Fruit for Anita)
The call to unite against Anita Bryant was what drove the queer community to speak openly. She “prompted gay men and lesbians to organize on a national scale” (Van Cleve 6).
Bryant could not keep up with the pro-gay organizations. Florida Orange Growers terminated her contract, her marriage had dissolved and she eventually divorced her husband. Her public image was destroyed. The queer community however, was strengthened by Bryant’s efforts. The Briggs Initiative was voted against and resulted in a strengthening of the community as a