SINGER ANITA BRYANT, a crusader against "the disintegration of the American family," has filed for divorce from her
husband of nearly 20 years, Bob Green. The couple is shown here in happier days in a 1978 film photo.
Anti-gay
crusader
Bryant
files for
divorce
From AP and UPI
MIAMI BEACH, Fla.-Anita Bryant,
strong-principled advocate of God,
family and flag, says she is divorcing
her husband-manager of nearly 20
years because he "violated ... my
very conscience" by helping people
who tried to "control" her.
The former Oklahoma beauty queen
and popular singer, who became the
symbol of Florida orange juice and
then of opposition to the homosexual
rights movement, surprised friends,
foes and admirers around the country
by filing for divorce Thursday in Dade
County Circuit Court.
THE PETITION listed no reason for
dissolution of the marriage, but in a
statement released at her luxurious
Miami Beach home, the deeply
religious Miss Bryant said Green had
violated her conscience.
She accused him of cooperating "with
certain hired staff members who con-
spired to control me and use my name
and reputation to build their personal
careers instead of my ministry."
"At the risk of material sacrifice, my 4
conscience is my most valuable proper-
ty," she said.
GREEN WAS not available for com-
ment.
The statement referred to Anita
Bryant Ministries, her latest project,
whose stated purpose was to preserve
the American family. She said she was
resigning from the program.
She said in her statement that Green 4
had "violated my most precious asset:
My very conscience."
DIVORCE PAPERS said he had
moved out of their spacious home
overlooking Biscayne Bay but then
moved back in "of his own accord and
without the agreement of the ... wife,
which has created an intolerable
situation."
Miss Bryant asked for custody of the
couple's four children-Robert 16,
Gloria 15, and William abd Barbara,
both 10. She also asked for half of the
couple's property.
During an April interview, Miss
Bryant told UPI that her life was "tur-
ned upside down" by her successful
1977 opposition to a gay rights ordinan-
ce in Dade Miami County. She said the
national notoriety that followed cost her
$500,000 in television contracts, scores
of bookings, thousands of dollars in
cash outlays and threats of personal at-
tack.
She and Green were married on June
25, 1960 when she was 20.
4