Turns Out Famed Anti-Gay Crusader Anita Bryant’s Granddaughter Is Gay And Getting Married

Famed anti-gay activist Anita Bryant spent the 1970s denouncing the LGBTQ community and fighting against equal rights and protections, and now she’s finally been faced with something inevitable — a gay relative.

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Her granddaughter, Sarah Green, recently spoke with Slate about her grandmother’s legacy of hate. And in the process, she mentioned that not only is she gay, but she’s about to get married.

In the interview, Green recounts coming out to Bryant on her 21st birthday, as the latter sang her “Happy Birthday” over the phone and said she would find a husband soon.

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“She would not stop talking about the right man coming along, and I just snapped and was like, ‘I hope that he doesn’t come along, because I’m gay, and I don’t want a man to come along,’” Green said.

Realizing you fit somewhere under the LGBTQ umbrella while being raised with bigotry in your family is never an easy experience, but it’s not hard to imagine that having such a public and famous anti-gay crusader in your life presents its own unique set of challenges. 

Bryant’s most well-known homophobic activism involved getting an ordinance overturned that prohibited discrimination against gay people in Dade County, Florida, back in 1977. She insisted that gay people are pedophiles and should not be allowed to hold certain jobs giving them access to children, lest they try to “recruit” them.

But at this point, Green seems to be taking dealing with her grandmother the best that she can.

“I just kind of feel bad for her. And I think as much as she hopes that I will figure things out and come back to God, I kind of hope that she’ll figure things out,” she told Slate. 

While Green may find pity for the woman, people more detached from the situation, but still feeling the ramifications of Bryant’s actions all these years later, weren’t so kind.

Anti-gay loon Anita Bryant, the Mike Pence of her day, is, oddly, still alive. And her LGBTQ grandaughter, Sarah Green, is about to marry a woman. Anita called gay people “human garbage” and still says that homosexuality “doesn’t exist.” Best wishes to Sarah and her wife-to-be! pic.twitter.com/WuYxvTliJ0

— Paul Rudnick (@PaulRudnickNY) July 27, 2021

anita bryant’s granddaughter is gay anita bryant’s granddaughter is gay anita bryant’s granddaughter is gay anita bryant’s granddaughter is gay anita bryant’s granddaughter is gay anita bryant’s granddaughter is gay anita bryant’s GRANDDAUGHTER IS GAY ANITA BRYANT’S GRANDDAUGHTER

— Yash (@yashwinacanter) July 28, 2021

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Whoever “recruited” Anita Bryant’s granddaughter is getting a generous bonus on the day of her wedding.

— Daniel Pitt (@RunGutoRun) July 28, 2021

Mike Pence and Anita Bryant share a Bigoted Christian Squint, as if they’ve both just seen a gay person and aren’t sure if they should call 911, take a cold shower or ask their minister to explain musical theater pic.twitter.com/vV2QQC8RUn

— Paul Rudnick (@PaulRudnickNY) July 27, 2021

I was 12 years old when Bryant waged her campaign against gay teachers and called gay people pedophiles. My mom thought she was wrong, my dad thought she was right. They argued about it in the car with their closeted gay kid listening in the backseat.

— Dan Savage (@fakedansavage) July 27, 2021

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Every time I see a satisfying story like this one I think, with wry glee, “Anita Bryant must be spinning in her grave,” and then I remember she’s still alive. But she’ll die mad. (via @cmcasarez) https://t.co/eAF78t4VJV

— Stacey Burns (@WentRogue) July 28, 2021

Green and her fiancée still haven’t decided if they’re going to be inviting Bryant to their wedding, but if she shows up, maybe she’ll finally learn a thing or two about love.

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*First Published: July 29, 2021, 6:43 am