Bob Kunst facts for kids
Bob Kunst is an American activist known for fighting for the rights of gay people and for often running for political office.
Early Life
Bob Kunst was born in 1941 in Miami Beach, Florida. In the 1970s, he worked in marketing for the Miami Toros, a professional soccer team.
Fighting for Rights
Bob Kunst has been a strong voice for fairness and equality.
Supporting Equality Laws
In 1976, he supported a law in Miami-Dade County that aimed to protect the rights of gay people. Later, he also became involved in helping people living with AIDS.
Challenging Unfair Rules
Kunst spoke out against a group called "Save Our Children." This group, supported by singer Anita Bryant, wanted to remove the law that protected gay people from unfair treatment. Kunst helped organize efforts to encourage people to stop buying products from companies that supported Bryant. The law that removed protections was eventually changed by the state's highest court in 2010.
Working with Cure AIDS Now
In 1991, Bob Kunst was the leader of an organization called Cure AIDS Now. He left the organization after some concerns were raised about how money was being managed.
Political Campaigns
Bob Kunst has run for political office several times as a member of the Democratic Party and as an independent.
Running for Senate
In 1986, he ran in the Democratic primary election for a seat in the United States Senate in Florida. He did not win that election.
Running for House of Representatives
In 2010, Kunst ran as an independent candidate for the United States House of Representatives in Florida. He ran against the person already holding the position, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, but he did not win.
Helping Other Campaigns
Kunst also volunteered to help Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign in Florida in 2008.
Other Activism
Beyond gay rights and politics, Bob Kunst has been involved in other important causes.
Fighting Hate Groups
From 1991 to 2001, Kunst was the president of Shalom International. This was a Jewish group that worked to fight against groups that promote hate, like Neo-Nazism and Neo-fascism, around the world.
Speaking Out for Liberal Ideas
In 1982, he helped start a group called the Oral Majority. This group was formed to share liberal and non-religious viewpoints, as a counter to conservative religious groups like the Moral Majority.
Protesting for Victims
In 2018, Kunst protested outside a courthouse during a trial related to the Pulse nightclub tragedy. He was there to show support for the victims.
Supporting Donald Trump
Bob Kunst has supported Donald Trump in his campaigns for U.S. president in 2016, 2020, and 2024. He has attended many of Trump's rallies and also protested when legal actions were taken against Donald Trump in 2023.
