Anita Bryant, singer, anti-gay activist and Save Our Children founder, dies at 84
According to the obituary submitted Thursday by her family to The Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY Network, she died on Dec. 16 at her Oklahoma home, surrounded by family and friends. She became known as Anita Bryant Dryafter marrying former astronaut Charlie Dry, who preceded her in death.
Bryant pursued music and performance, and had her own television show at the age of 12. She was crowned Miss Oklahoma in 1958 at age 18. Her records “Paper Roses” and “In My Little Corner of the World” were top 10 Billboard hits, and records like “Till There Was You” blazed up the music charts. She made guest appearances on “Dick Clark’s American Bandstand” and other television programs.
The Grammy nominee was particularly known for her stirring singing performances, such as her rendition of the “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Her talent led to numerous prominent singing engagements over the years. She sang for President Lyndon B. Johnson at the White House and traveled with actor Bob Hope on his holiday tours to entertain U.S. troops abroad, according to her obituary.
The entertainer also sang at the Super Bowl in 1971 and co-hosted the nationally televised segment of the Orange Bowl Parade for nine years, according to her obituary. She also became famous for her television commercials touting Florida juice and Coca-Cola.
In the late 1970s, Bryant became well known as a vocal anti-gay activist and organized opposition to the movement for LGBTQ rights by founding an organization called Save Our Children.
Real-life footage of Bryant’s crusade from the era was used in the Oscar-winning 2008 film “Milk,” starring Sean Penn.
In 1977, Bryant was an outspoken opponent of a Dade County, Florida, ordinance that prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation, and a national bill in Congress to declare gay people a minority group, according to The Oklahoman.
During a news conference, she once said, “The war goes on to save our children because the seed of sexual sickness that germinated in Dade County has already been transplanted by misguided liberals in the U.S. Congress.” Dade County voters repealed the ordinance. Bryant also campaigned for a California initiative that would have prohibited “pro-homosexual” views in the classroom. That initiative was defeated.
