Anita Bryant, a singer who found fame in the 1960s before becoming a polarising figure in the fight against gay rights, passed away on December 16 at her home in Edmond, Oklahoma. 

The cause was cancer, according to her son, William Green. 

The family shared the news in an obituary published in The Oklahoman on Thursday.  

Ms Bryant was best known for her hit songs, including “Paper Roses” and “In My Little Corner of the World,” which made her a household name in the early 1960s. 

A talented vocalist, she gained additional fame as a spokesperson for the Florida Citrus Commission, appearing in memorable TV commercials with the tagline, ‘Breakfast without orange juice is like a day without sunshine’.  

However, it was her outspoken stance against gay rights in the late 1970s that overshadowed her musical achievements. 

Ms Bryant led a campaign to repeal a Dade County, Florida, ordinance that prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation. 

The campaign, branded as ‘Save Our Children’, was met with national backlash and is often credited with galvanising the LGBTQ+ rights movement.  

Ms Bryant’s activism had lasting repercussions on her career. 

Boycotts of Florida orange juice led to her losing her spokesperson role, and her public image took a significant hit. By the 1980s, she largely retreated from the public eye, later reflecting on her activism in a 1992 autobiography, ‘A New Day’.

Born on March 25, 1940, in Barnsdall, Oklahoma, Ms Bryant grew up in a devoutly religious family and began singing in church at a young age. 

She won the title of Miss Oklahoma in 1958 and was a runner-up in the Miss America pageant the following year. 

Her early success opened doors to a recording career, where she enjoyed a string of hits and became a regular on television variety shows. 

Ms Bryant is survived by her children and grandchildren, who described her as a devoted mother and grandmother in the family’s statement.