Out North

LGBTQ Activist Confronts Anita Bryant

Clip: Special | 2m 23sVideo has Closed Captions

Tom Higgins and Anita Bryant in a memorable moment in the Gay Liberation movement.

Aired 10/16/2017 | Rating TV-G

Out North

LGBTQ Activist Confronts Anita Bryant

Clip: Special | 2m 23sVideo has Closed Captions

Tom Higgins and Anita Bryant in a memorable moment in the Gay Liberation movement.

After the social justice success through the early 70s, LGBTQ activists encountered backlash against expanding human rights. Pop star Anita Bryant led a campaign to roll back human rights ordinances in select ‘target cities,’ including St. Paul. Bryant was at a press conference in Iowa when Tom Higgins, a Twin Cities LGBTQ activist, thrust them both into infamy when hit her in the face with a pie.

Aired 10/16/2017 | Rating TV-G

Out North is a local public television program presented by TPT

Open in new tab

- In 1974, St. Paul city council passes a amendment to its existing non-discrimination ordinance that it's kind of federally required to pass.

It extends non-discrimination protections for cases of sexual preference.

And so this ordinance is in place for four years, before it gets swept up into this huge national controversy that gets inspired by Anita Bryant, who is this semi-famous saleswoman for Florida Orange Juice.

♪ Come to the Florida sunshine tree ♪ And she was a singer, and she was a runner up to a Miss America pageant.

- Because I dared to speak out for straight and normal America.

- [Stewart] She convinces the voting public in Miami-Dade County to repeal this gay rights ordinance.

After her success in Miami-Dade County, Anita Bryant and her group, Save Our Children, take the show on the road.

So there's kind of outrageous claims that she's making, it's a fear-based campaign.

- Let this historic petition and vote by the people of St. Paul... - [Leo] There was a Baptist pastor, here in St. Paul, and they launched a repeal effort.

- All kinds of problems, and every- (crowd gasping) (cameras clicking) - [Councilperson] Security agents, security agent.

- [Moderator] No, no let him stay.

- No.

- Let him stay.

- [Anita] Well, at least it's a fruit pie.

(laughs) - Target City Coalition and Tom Higgins, who put a pie in Anita Bryant's face, and waking her up to the reality of oppression of gay people.

- Thus always to bigots.

- Who saw you do that.

- [Tom] We welcome you to the Midwest, we hope you come back.

- [Interviewer] Do you know who saw you do that?

- [Tom] We love you as a person.

- [Interviewer] This man is, do you know what kind of publicity you're gonna get?

- [Tom] We can't stand the garbage you spout.

- Everyone essentially believed that in the faith communities, nobody would stand up for homosexual people.

So we started meeting with bishops, adjudicatory heads, and challenging them to write pastoral letters to their congregations, stating that this was a matter of human rights and justice, and the ordinance should be supported and not repealed.

(somber music)