Ruth Shack

Ruth Shack (born 28 August 1931 in Brooklyn, New York) was the sponsor of the 1977 Human Rights Ordinance in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Shack was elected to the Metro-Dade County Commission (now known as the Miami-Dade County Commission) in 1976, 1978 and 1982. Since leaving the Commission she has been the President and CEO of the largest philanthropic organization in Florida, the Dade Community Foundation.

Human Rights Ordinance

In 1977, Shack as a member of the Metro Dade County Commission sponsored the original Dade County Human Rights Ordinance, that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Later her former good friend, Anita Bryant, led a highly publicized campaign to repeal the ordinance. The campaign was waged based on what was labeled "Christian beliefs regarding the sinfulness of homosexuality and the perceived threat of homosexual recruitment of children and child molestation."

Bryant’s view was that "What these people really want, hidden behind obscure legal phrases, is the legal right to propose to our children that theirs is an acceptable alternate way of life. [...] I will lead such a crusade to stop it as this country has not seen before." The campaign was called 'Save Our Children', the start of an organized opposition to gay rights that spread across the nation. Jerry Falwell went to Miami to help her.

On June 7, 1977, Bryant's campaign led to a repeal of the anti-discrimination ordinance by a margin of 69 to 31 percent.

In the aftermath, legislation was passed outlawing adoption by gays and lesbians in the state of Florida.

In 1998 Dade County 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 to repeal the 1998 law called Amendment 14 was voted down by 56% of the voters. The Florida statute forbidding adoptions by gay persons, however, remains law; in 2004, a federal appellate court upheld Florida’s adoption law against a constitutional challenge.

Family

Since 1953, she has been married to Richard Shack and together they have one of the largest modern art collections in South Florida. They have three daughters.

References

*The Miami Herald; Gay Rights Debate Rages on 30 Years After Miami Dade Challenge” by Steve Rothaus; June 9, 2007