Democrat Jackie Biskupski is the first openly gay mayor of Salt Lake City

• Jackie Biskupski is the first openly gay mayor of Salt Lake City.
• She is an LGBTQ+ advocate.
• Her challenges in Salt Lake City.

Hailing from Hastings, Minnesota, where she was born on January 11, 1966, Jackie Biskupski has made history in Utah.

This Democratic politician became the first openly gay mayor of Salt Lake City.

She was named Jacqueline in honor of Jackie Kennedy Onassis, former first lady and wife of John F. Kennedy.

She is the mother of an adopted son named Archie and came out as a lesbian in 1989 when she was 23 years old.

Mayor Jackie Biskupski: A mother and a politician

On January 4, 2016, Jackie Biskupski was sworn in as the mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah.

She is the second woman to hold this office in the city, with the first being fellow Democrat Deedee Corradini.

It’s worth noting that Jackie won by a slim margin in the November 2015 election, with just a 3% lead over her opponent.

The significance of this victory goes beyond what meets the eye.

What sets Salt Lake City apart?

According to Mamá y Mami, Salt Lake City is home to the headquarters of the Mormon Church.

In the final days of 2015, the church reaffirmed its policy of not baptizing the children of same-sex couples.

To make matters worse, it was also announced that same-sex marriages would result in excommunication — a shocking stance in the 21st century.

Jackie Biskupski attended her inauguration with her then-fiancée, Betty Iverson.

Leading in a conservative state

Shortly after taking office as mayor of Salt Lake City, Jackie Biskupski got to work.

In June 2016, she joined dozens of mayors from across the country who committed to the Paris Climate Accord.

Furthermore, she convinced the United States Conference of Mayors to adopt a controversial resolution.

She called on cities to transition to 100% clean and renewable energy by 2035.

Facing challenges

However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Mayor Jackie Biskupski.

In the summer of 2016, they had to bid farewell to the main trade show for the U.S. outdoor recreation industry.

In addition, former President Donald Trump stated that he would reduce the size of two national monuments in Utah by 85% and 50%.

Even though she wasn’t present at the ceremony, Jackie didn’t hold back from strongly rebuking Trump via her Twitter account.

Coming out as a lesbian in Utah

According to the Knowledge of Travel, Jackie Biskupski moved to Utah in the 1980s, wanting to live near the mountains.

It was during that period that she came to terms with her sexuality, finding a close-knit LGBTQ community in the city.

From her early days in public office, she aspired to become a mayor, saying, «Everything feels impossible here until you do it.»

Jodie Van Horn, director of Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 Campaign, remarked that Jackie’s leadership extended beyond Salt Lake City.