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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 as popular as any rock star today, 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 as popular as any rock star today, 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.  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  The ordinance was successfully repealed in a referendum that passed in a landslide vote of 69% to 31%.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>