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[[Image:AnitaB.jpg|right|thumb|Anita Bryant in 1977]]

[[Image:AnitaB.jpg|right|thumb|Anita Bryant in 1977]]

'''Anita Bryant''' (b. 1940) was an extremely successful singer and commercial endorser who became an early opponent of [[homosexuality]].  As a result, the entertainment and corporate world ostracized her.

'''Anita Bryant''' (born 1940) was an extremely successful singer and commercial endorser who became an early opponent of [[homosexuality]].  As a result, the entertainment and corporate world ostracized her.

A devout [[Christian]] born and raised in [[Oklahoma]], Bryant won the prestigious talent competition of [[Arthur Godfrey]] at age 16, was runner-up in the [[Miss America]] competition at age 19, and next recorded three smash popular hit songs, of which a couple were imitated later by famous groups such as the [[Beatles]].  In the late 1960s and 1970s Anita Bryant became one of the most successful endorsers of goods, most famously Florida orange juice.  She was was an extremely popular celebrity in her time, and had such broad appeal that she performed the [[National Anthem]] at [[Super Bowl III]] in 1969 and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" at the burial of former President [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] in 1973.

A devout [[Christian]] born and raised in [[Oklahoma]], Bryant won the prestigious talent competition of [[Arthur Godfrey]] at age 16, was runner-up in the [[Miss America]] competition at age 19, and next recorded three smash popular hit songs, of which a couple were imitated later by famous groups such as the [[Beatles]].  In the late 1960s and 1970s Anita Bryant became one of the most successful endorsers of goods, most famously Florida orange juice.  She was was an extremely popular celebrity in her time, and had such broad appeal that she performed the [[National Anthem]] at [[Super Bowl III]] in 1969 and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" at the burial of former President [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] in 1973.

Living in South Florida, Bryant saw [[Florida]]'s Dade County (now Miami-Dade County) pass an ordinance in 1977 granting [[anti-discrimination rights]] to homosexuals.{{fact}}  Within four weeks, Bryant, along with supporters from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami and the Florida Conservative Union, had collected 64,000 signatures, many more than the 10,000 needed to put the issue on the ballot. <ref>[http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-lianita04jun04,0,3085156.story?coll=sfla-news-front Exhibit marks 30th anniversary of how Anita Bryant fought -- and helped -- gay rights], By John Tanasychuk, ''South Florida Sun-Sentinel'', June 4 2007.</ref>  The ordinance was successfully repealed in a referendum that passed in a landslide vote of 69% to 31%.  She said her main concern was the recruitment of children into the homosexual lifestyle, and she founded a group called [[Save Our Children]] for that purpose.  It was not until 1998 that Miami-Dade County reinstated the ordinance by a narrow 7-6 vote.

Living in South Florida, Bryant saw [[Florida]]'s Dade County (now Miami-Dade County) pass an ordinance in 1977 granting [[anti-discrimination rights]] to homosexuals.{{fact}}  Within four weeks, Bryant, along with supporters from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami and the Florida Conservative Union, had collected 64,000 signatures, many more than the 10,000 needed to put the issue on the ballot.<ref>[http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-lianita04jun04,0,3085156.story?coll=sfla-news-front Exhibit marks 30th anniversary of how Anita Bryant fought -- and helped -- gay rights], By John Tanasychuk, ''South Florida Sun-Sentinel'', June 4, 2007.</ref>  The ordinance was successfully repealed in a referendum that passed in a landslide vote of 69% to 31%.  She said her main concern was the recruitment of children into the homosexual lifestyle, and she founded a group called [[Save Our Children]] for that purpose.  It was not until 1998 that Miami-Dade County reinstated the ordinance by a narrow 7-6 vote.

Bryant also successfully led a campaign for the Florida legislature to prohibit homosexuals from adopting children.  Over two decades later, in 2004, that law was upheld by the [[Court of Appeals]] for the [[Eleventh Circuit]].<ref>''Lofton v. Sec'y of the Dep't of Children & Family Servs.'', 358 F.3d 804 (11th Cir. 2004).</ref>

Bryant also successfully led a campaign for the Florida legislature to prohibit homosexuals from adopting children.  Over two decades later, in 2004, that law was upheld by the [[Court of Appeals]] for the [[Eleventh Circuit]].<ref>''Lofton v. Sec'y of the Dep't of Children & Family Servs.'', 358 F.3d 804 (11th Cir. 2004).</ref>

It should be noted that Anita Bryant was largely correct in that she believed homosexuals wanted to recruit children into their ways, for example noted gay rights activist [[Harry Hay]] protested the exclusion of groups like NAMBLA in the 1990s (that had previously been in the gay mainstream) and Hay refused to participate in the official 1994 parade in New York City commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall riots because of its 'exclusionary policies'. Instead he joined an alternate parade called "The Spirit of Stonewall"

It should be noted that Anita Bryant was largely correct in that she believed homosexuals wanted to recruit children into their ways, for example noted gay rights activist [[Harry Hay]] protested the exclusion of groups like NAMBLA in the 1990s (that had previously been in the gay mainstream) and Hay refused to participate in the official 1994 parade in New York City commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall riots because of its 'exclusionary policies'. Instead he joined an alternate parade called "The Spirit of Stonewall"

==External Links==

==External links==

* [http://www.anitabmi.org/3.html Anita Bryant Ministries International]

* [http://www.anitabmi.org/3.html Anita Bryant Ministries International]