The Salt Lake City Council come 2022. (Photo via Salt Lake Tribune Politics/Twitter)
UTAH | Four LGBTQ Salt Lake City Council candidates won their elections Nov. 2– two incumbents and two non-incumbents – and now four of the council’s six seats will be held by out LGBTQ members.
“It is different to have a government that makes decisions to value diversity and to have a government that is diverse itself,” council member Darin Mano told The Salt Lake Tribune. Mano, who won a full term in this week’s election, is a Japanese American and an openly gay man.
The Salt Lake Tribune noted that “incoming Salt Lake City Council is historic — in multiple ways. For the first time, most of the members — four of the seven — are racial and ethnic minorities. And for the first time, a majority — again four — are openly LGBTQ.”
Mano became the first Asian American out LGBTQ person elected to the council and Alejandro Puy became the first out LGBTQ Latinx person. They will join Councilmembers Amy Fowler and Chris Wharton, who both won reelection. Currently, just six out LGBTQ people serve in elected office anywhere in Utah.
“LGBTQ people are severely underrepresented in governments across Utah, so holding a majority of seats on the Salt Lake City Council is a milestone moment for the city and the state. Salt Lake City is now one of just a handful of city councils in the entire country with an LGBTQ majority and the lived experiences of the LGBTQ members will ensure more inclusive policymaking,” said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund.
“While the LGBTQ members will fight tirelessly to advance equality, we know they are primarily focused on the everyday issues that will improve the lives of their constituents.”
Salt Lake City makes history with its most diverse council ever, electing racial and LGBTQ majoritieshttps://t.co/1qqNZAX10T
— Salt Lake Tribune politics (@SLTribPolitics) November 5, 2021
The only member of the incoming council who is not either a minority or LGBTQ is Dan Dugan, a retired engineer and Navy officer, who represents east-side neighborhoods the Tribune reported.
“It is historic and exciting,” said Amy Fowler, the council chair. “I believe this new council is really a more accurate representation of Salt Lake City.”
Fowler, who won reelection, told the Tribune; “Representation matters. People need to see people who look like them and have similar values representing them. And I think this is really something that can be such a good thing for the west side in particular.”
