Florida Ban on Homosexual Adoption Born of Bias and Ignorance

Anita Bryant is, or was, a singer who became the spokesperson for the orange juice marketing industry in Florida. She is best remembered today for her anti-homosexual activities. In 1977, Dade County (Miami) passed a human-rights ordinance that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. In response to this, Bryant led a highly publicized campaign to repeal the ordinance. The campaign was waged based on "Christian beliefs regarding the sinfulness of homosexuality" and the perceived threat of "homosexual recruitment of children and child molestation."

The concerns over homosexual recruitment of children inspired the name of Bryant's political organization, Save Our Children. Among Bryant's assertions during the campaign were "As a mother, I know that homosexuals cannot biologically reproduce children; therefore, they must recruit our children" and "If gays are granted rights, next we'll have to give rights to prostitutes and to people who sleep with St. Bernards and to nail biters." ( I hesitate to speculate on Ms Bryant's fearful encounters with either St. Bernards or nail biters.) On June 7, 1977, Bryant's campaign led to a repeal of the anti-discrimination ordinance by a margin of 69 to 31 percent.

The results of Ms Bryant's crusade, for indeed that is what it was, went far beyond south-eastern Florida. The state legislature, proving itself steadfast for decency and America, enacted Section 63.042 (3) as part of the general laws on adoption: " No person eligible to adopt under this statute may adopt if that person is a homosexual."

Dade County, in 1998, repudiated Bryant's successful campaign of 20 years earlier, and re-authorized an anti-discrimination ordinance protecting individuals from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation by a 7 to 6 margin. In 2002, a ballot initiative in that county, to repeal the 1998 law was voted down by 56% of the voters.

The statute forbidding adoptions by gay persons in Florida, however, remains law.