Former Pop Icon And Anti-Gay Rights Activist Anita Bryant Dies At 84

Anita Bryant, a former pop singer and beauty queen whose career shifted from music and endorsements to a controversial anti-gay rights crusade, passed away at her home in Edmond, Oklahoma, on December 16. She was 84.

Bryant first rose to prominence as Miss Oklahoma in 1958 and a runner-up in the 1959 Miss America pageant. Her singing career flourished with hits such as “Till There Was You” and “Paper Roses” in the late 1950s and early 1960s. She became a household name in the 1970s as the face of Florida orange juice, starring in commercials that popularized the slogan, “A breakfast without orange juice is like a day without sunshine.”

Her reputation took a dramatic turn in 1977 when she launched the “Save Our Children” campaign to oppose a Miami-Dade County ordinance that banned discrimination based on sexual orientation. A devout Christian, Bryant argued that gay individuals should not be allowed to teach children. While her efforts succeeded in repealing the ordinance, they sparked nationwide protests and a boycott of Florida orange juice.

The backlash significantly impacted Bryant’s career, with canceled concert bookings, lost endorsements, and her eventual ouster as spokesperson for the Florida Citrus Commission. Public appearances became fraught with protests, including a famous incident in 1977 when an activist hit her with a pie during a press conference.

Born on March 25, 1940, in Barnsdall, Oklahoma, Bryant began singing in her local Baptist church as a child. She pursued music alongside her beauty pageant career, eventually releasing several albums and earning Grammy nominations. She also performed for U.S. troops on Bob Hope’s USO tours and sang at President Lyndon B. Johnson’s funeral in 1973.

After her divorce from Bob Green in 1980, Bryant struggled to regain her public appeal. She shifted her focus to Christian music and charity work through her nonprofit, Anita Bryant Ministries International. Despite attempts to revive her career, including ventures in Branson, Missouri, and other locations, financial struggles persisted.

Bryant largely retreated from the spotlight in later years but remained a polarizing figure. She is survived by her children, stepdaughters, and grandchildren.

Reflecting on her life in a past interview, Bryant said, “If it weren’t for Jesus Christ in my heart and life, I probably would have married several times… I’m just a sinner saved by grace.”

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