Anita Bryant, an Oklahoma singer and anti-gay rights activist, has died at the age of 84.
Bryant died at her Edmond home on Dec. 16, but her death wasn’t announced until her family published an obituary late last week.
Born at her grandparents’ place in Barnsdall in Osage County, Bryant grew up in cities across the state, including Oklahoma City, Seminole, Velma-Alma, Tishomingo, Midwest City and Tulsa.
She performed on radio and TV as a child, appearing on KOTV in Tulsa and two shows on Oklahoma City’s WKY — "The Gismo Goodkin Show" and "The Scotty Harrell Show." The latter would later be renamed "The Anita Bryant Show" when she was just 12-years-old.
In 1958, Bryant became Miss Oklahoma, and placed as the second runner-up in the Miss America pageant one year later.
Prior to her appearance in the Miss America competition, Bryant was signed to a record deal with Carlton Records. In 1960, she charted two top 10 pop hits, with "Paper Roses" and "My Little Corner of the World."
Bryan would go on to record dozens of records and earn three Grammy Award nominations. She joined Bob Hope on several USO tours, entertaining troops deployed abroad.
In 1971, Bryant sang “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” during the Super Bowl Halftime Show. She also frequently performed for President Lyndon Johnson, singing for him at The White House and, ultimately, at his graveside service in Texas in 1973.
She was the spokesperson for several brands, including Coca-Cola, Kraft Foods, Holiday Inn, Tupperware and the Florida Citrus Commission.
Beginning in 1977, however, Bryant would become much more well-known as a prominent anti-gay rights activist. Leading the group Save Our Children, she spearheaded the Christian right’s political opposition to anti-discrimination ordinances and vilified same-sex relationships as a threat to children.
“In our campaign, we talk about the danger of the homosexual becoming a role model to our children. I'm not talking necessarily about child molestation in the physical. I'm talking about the psychological, which is even more detrimental and would have far-reaching effects on our children and on our nation,” Bryant said during a debate in Miami, Fla. in 1977.
Her activism laid out a path for others to latch onto. Rev. Jerry Falwell, an early supporter of Bryant’s work, founded the political organization The Moral Majority in 1979. It focused on mobilizing the Christian right to influence elections and lawmakers, and used anti-gay rhetoric to raise funds for their work. The group is credited by many as a contributing factor to Ronald Reagan’s defeat of Jimmy Carter in the 1980 presidential election.
At the same time, Bryant’s words and actions also helped spur the gay community to be more vocal in politics. They led a nationwide boycott of orange juice, a hit at Bryant’s commercial work for the Florida Citrus Commission.
"The Anita Bryant feud was the first time there was sustained national interest in the gay rights story," historian John D'Emilio told the Tampa Bay Times in 1997. "The battle lines were clearly drawn between the new gay movement and the forces reacting against it."
Bryant’s political work soon crept into her entertainment and business careers. She was lampooned on late night TV shows and Saturday Night Live, as well as the 1980 comedy film Airplane!. She lost singing gigs, speaking opportunities and her many sponsorships. A sponsor in an upcoming variety television show dropped out over the controversy surrounding her, and the show never materialized.
Bryant’s career never recovered from the backlash.
The attention and a divorce pushed Bryant from the spotlight for most of the 1980s. In the early 90s, she attempted to relaunch her music career with shows in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, Branson, Missouri and Eureka Springs, Arkansas, but none materialized how she may have hoped.
