Anita Bryant's Life and Career

Anita Bryant, the once-beloved singer and beauty queen whose career flourished in the 1960s and 1970s, passed away on December 16 at the age of 84 in her home in Edmond, Oklahoma. Her son William Green confirmed that the cause of death was cancer.

Bryant first gained fame at 18 when she won the Miss Oklahoma title and became a second runner-up in the Miss America pageant, launching a successful entertainment career that included popular television commercials for the Florida Citrus Commission. With her catchy jingle, “Come to the Florida Sunshine Tree,” she became a household name, urging Americans that “Breakfast without orange juice is like a day without sunshine.”

Anti-Gay Rights Advocacy

However, in 1977, her career faced an abrupt turn when she became a vocal opponent of LGBTQ+ rights. After Dade County, Florida, passed an ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation, Bryant spearheaded a movement against it, arguing that the ordinance threatened the moral fabric of society and the well-being of children. She founded the organization Save Our Children, which advocated against gay rights, and in doing so, became a prominent figure in the modern religious right.

Bryant's public image shifted dramatically. Her stance led to backlash from the LGBTQ+ community and their allies. At a press event in 1977, she infamously had a pie thrown in her face, leading to a moment that became emblematic of her controversial public persona. In her dismay, she stated prayer for the assailant's "deviant lifestyle," which only intensified the public's divide over her message.

Early Life and Musical Success

Born on March 25, 1940, in Barnsdall, Oklahoma, Anita Jane Bryant grew up in a Christian household. Her early singing career began in church and local TV shows, setting the stage for her rise in show business. She achieved notable success on variety shows such as “The Ed Sullivan Show” and released four Top 40 hits between 1959 and 1961.

Later Years and Legacy

Despite increasing controversy, she attempted to re-establish her career in 1980 with a variety special titled “The Anita Bryant Spectacular.” However, it was met with mixed reviews, hinting that her message felt hostile to many viewers.

Bryant faced personal struggles as well, revealing in later interviews that she considered suicide following her public backlash. Nonetheless, she later embraced an aspect of resilience, authoring several books, notably titled “The Anita Bryant Story: The Survival of Our Nation’s Families and the Threat of Militant Homosexuality,” which further solidified her controversial legacy.

Anita Bryant's journey is a stark reminder of the impact of public advocacy on personal lives and careers. While her influence as a pop culture figure and anti-gay rights advocate shaped societal attitudes of her time, it also sealed her fate as a polarizing icon, forever etched in the annals of American cultural history.