Peter Tatchell issues powerful response as ‘bigot’ anti-gay rights activist Anita Bryant dies age 84

Anita Bryant, the singer and infamous anti-gay rights campaigner, has died at the age of 84, it has been announced.

Bryant, who was Miss Oklahoma and a Florida Citrus spokesperson, died in her home of Edmond, Oklahoma, on 16 December 2024, according to family.

News of Bryant’s death was confirmed in a family statement on Thursday (9 January 2025).

“May Anita’s memory and her faith in eternal life through Christ comfort all who embraced her,” they said.

Bryant, who was nominated for three Grammys and advertised the likes of Coca-Cola and Holiday Inn, was known for prejudiced views, even leading the anti-LGBTQ+ ‘Save Our Children’ campaign.

“Her legacy is a cautionary tale of the damage homophobia can inflict” – Peter Tatchell on Anita Bryant’s death

Responding to the news today, human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said in a statement that Bryant’s bigotry “united people in defiance.”

His statement in full reads: “Anita Bryant’s campaigns of hate caused immense harm to LGBT+ people, but they also sparked a new era of activism and solidarity. Her legacy is a cautionary tale of the damage homophobia can inflict, and a reminder of the power of resilience and love in overcoming hate.

“She inspired a wave of activism that transformed the fight for LGBT+ equality. Her bigotry united people in defiance, igniting a movement that stood up to hate and laid the foundations for the rights we cherish today.”

Born on 25 March 1940, Bryant was known for hits songs including ‘Till There Was You’, and ‘Paper Roses’.

Speaking in a 1978 issue of Playboy, Bryant said of her opposition to legal protections for gay people in Florida: “I got involved only because they [LGBTQ activists]were asking for special privileges that violated the state law of Florida, not to mention God’s law.”