1977 Houston Anita Bryant protests

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Anita Bryant

In 1977, the Texas State Bar Association invited country singer

LGBT rights in Houston.[1]

Background

Houston's LGBT community has existed since probably the beginning of the city, but did not take off in full swing until the 1960s.

gayborhood, evolving into a center of gay culture. By 1968, 26 gay bars were located in Montrose.[2]

Like for much of the United States, the 1969

Gay Political Caucus (GPC), which had much of the same goals.[2]

One other event spurred movement within the LGBT Houston community. Harris County Comptroller of the Treasury Gary van Ooteghem attended a county commissioner's court meeting to support gay and lesbian rights in response to Leonard Matlovich's struggle in the United States Army. In the meeting, van Ooteghem publicly came out as gay, although his employer Harris County Treasurer Harsell Gray told van Ooteghem beforehand that he was not allowed to participate in politics. Van Ooteghem was dismissed from his position, an event that was widely publicized and led to van Ooteghem being elected the GPC's first president. Additionally, police raids on gay bars were common at this time. In 1976, police shot and killed Gary Wayne Stock, a bartender at the gay bar Inside/Outside, stating Stock had run a red light and was shot in self-defense.[2] In the planning for the Anita Bryant demonstration every leader in the community participated. Designers created logos and fliers, Fred Paez and Ray Hill negotiated with the Houston Police Department for a non-confrontational and orderly event. Hill was assigned to co-ordinate the marshals and liaison with the police during the march and demonstration.

Protests

The Hyatt Hotel in downtown Houston was chosen for the Texas State Bar Association's meeting on June 16, 1977. The TSBA invited country singer

Dade County, Florida to repeal an anti-discrimination ordinance that protected gay people. The TSBA distributed 28,500 pamphlets advertising Bryant's appearance. Many members of the LGBT community denounced the invitation, and it was quickly rescinded. However, shortly after a second invitation was sent to Bryant, inviting her only to sing; the TSBA cited a mistake that resulted in the second invitation being delivered.[2] With the LGBT community not politically sound enough to prevent her from attending, Bryant was scheduled to appear at the meeting.[3]

On the day of the meeting on June 16, 1977, Reverend Joe West held an anti-gay meeting at

riot gear were stationed at the protest site.[6] Inside the Hyatt Hotel, Bryant's performance received a standing ovation.[2]

Aftermath and legacy

Former GPC president Larry Bagneris called the demonstration "the first major political act that we, as gay people, took on in Houston."[2] A minister at Houston's Gay Pride Parade in 1978 said, "It took Anita Bryant to bring this many of our brothers and sisters out of their closets."[7] Gay activist Ray Hill stated, "Houston's gay and lesbian community actually became a community. Before Anita, gay community meant where the bars were; after Anita, gay community meant people."[6]

More LGBT members subsequently became active in politics, and elected officials began searching for their input. In 1978, an event called Town Meeting I was held, during which Houston gays and lesbians met to discuss political and social issues they faced. By 1980, the community had gained an unprecedented amount of recognition, and gay ally Kathy Whitmire won the race for City Controller on a GPC endorsement.[2]

The march itself eventually became the Houston Gay Pride Parade.[8] It was also covered in Bruce Remington's 1983 thesis, "Twelve Fighting Years: Homosexuals in Houston, 1969-1981," which is one of the few existing pieces of literature about the early Houston LGBT community.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ Hagerty, Michael (2017-06-16). "Anita Bryant Protests 40 Years Later: Revisiting the 'Stonewall' Moment for Houston's LGBT Community". Houston Public Media. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Remembering LGBT History: Houston's Stonewall: The Night Anita Bryant Came to Town". Daily Kos. Kos Media. March 10, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Yerke, Gregory (June 16, 2014). "Houston's Own "Stonewall"". University of Houston Libraries. The University of Houston. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c "3,000 in Houston Protest Anita Bryant Appearance". New York Times. June 17, 1977. p. A12. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  5. ^ "1975-1978 Houston GLBT Political Caucus". Houston LGBT History. Houston LGBT History. Retrieved November 5, 2016.
  6. ^ a b c "United We Stand". Houston Area Digital Archives. Houston Public Library. Retrieved November 5, 2016.
  7. ^ Endres, Nikolai (2009). "Bryant, Anita" (PDF). GLBTQ Archive. GLBTQ. pp. 4, 9. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
  8. ^ "History in Houston, 40 Years After Stonewall: Anita Bryant". Out History. Out History. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
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