Friday, April 05, 2013

Know Your LGBT History - Anita Bryant

Whether she meant to or not, former Miss Oklahoma beauty pageant winner and spokesperson for the Florida Citrus Commission became an icon in lgbt history after her controversial and successful campaign to repeal a pro-gay rights ordinance in Dade County, FL in 1977. She won the battle but lost the war. She had other victories in other states, but she also galvanized the gay rights movement big time. Subsequently, her career was ruined. However, her legacy still stings our community. It was the first time someone used the "gays are a public hazard, particularly to our children" argument to defeat pro-gay legislation. And it would not be the last. Bryant provided a blueprint to future generations of bigots and homophobes:


 

 

Now the following is a clip everyone seems to remember. Bryant was assaulted by a gay man who hit her in the face with a pie. I am NOT for this sort of behavior. I don't care how empowering it allegedly feels. And I am totally against anyone who feels that we should do this sort of thing now (hello those who remember that stupid idea of throwing glitter on people). In the fight for equality, we should never stoop to levels which make us look like rabid dogs:

 

Past Know Your LGBT History posts:

'Two more Senators support marriage equality' and other Friday midday news briefs

Heidi Heitkamp, Joe Donnelly Back Gay Marriage - Suddenly, marriage equality is a popular issue to support in the U.S. Senate. Now about the House of Representatives . . .

 Fox News Fails To Prove That Marriage Equality Threatens Religious Liberty… Eight Times In A Row - Look this! It turns out that the cases where the religious right claims that marriage equality supposedly threatens "religious freedom" happened in places where there was NO marriage equality.  

ADF's five supposed 'victims' of marriage equality? All from states that didn't have marriage equality at time of incident! - Let's just reiterate the point of the above news briefs to show that it's a shame that no one - myself included - pointed that fact out until now. 

African-American clergy urge passage of IL marriage equality - Have you ever noticed how African-American clergy who support marriage equality don't get as much press as those who oppose it? Just making a point . . .  

Fred Luter Says He Didn't Mean To Link Gays to North Korean Threats - Oh come on! Sure you did!

Jon Stewart destroys Republican Party for its silly marriage equality argument

When it comes to the Republican Party and it's "rebranding," particularly on the issue of marriage equality, very few can put it better than Jon Stewart: