stake-president

The stake president holds the priesthood keys to lead the work of the Church in the stake. He and his counselors form a stake presidency. They care for stake members with love, helping them become true followers of Jesus Christ.2023 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Download Photo

 
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By Church News Staff, Church News

Following is a list of newly created stakes and stake presidencies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from around the world.

NOTE: When a new stake is created or a stake presidency is reorganized in an existing stake, leaders are given time to report the changes and provide brief biographical information for each member of the new stake presidency. A list of stakes reporting changes is compiled and published at the end of each month. The actual date of the stake’s creation or reorganization is in parentheses following the name of the stake.

New Stakes

A new stake has been created from the Beira Mozambique Manga and Beira Mozambique stakes. The Beira Mozambique Munhava Stake, which consists of the Maraza 2nd Branch and the Mananga, Manga Loforte, Maraza 1st, Mascarenha, Munhava and Pioneiros wards, was created by Elder Marcos A. Aidukaitis, General Authority Seventy, and Elder Thabo Lebethoa, an Area Seventy.

BEIRA MOZAMBIQUE MUNHAVA STAKE: (May 14, 2023) President — Joaquim Conde Zeca, 29, J&J Transport procurement officer and Take Me Home Txopela manager; wife, Joana De Assunção Albino. Counselors — Tomas Gulunguana, 44, Samanyanga driver; wife, Joana Fernando Luo. Sérgio Safur Jornal, 30, Ministry of Education and Human Development professor; wife, Rosa Feanhe Jornal.

A new stake has been created from the Broken Arrow Oklahoma and Fort Smith Arkansas stakes. The Gore Oklahoma Stake, which consists of the Eufaula, Poteau and Talihina branches and the Gore, Henryetta, McAlester, Muskogee and Sallisaw wards, was created by Elder Carlos A. Godoy, Presidency of the Seventy, and Elder Jay D. Andersen, an Area Seventy.

GORE OKLAHOMA STAKE: (May 7, 2023) President — Russell Scott Munson, 40, Northeastern Health System director of cardiopulmonary; wife, Amanda Lynn Hunt Munson. Counselors — Christopher Lee Emler, 52, self-employed; wife, Jackie Lynn Holland Emler. Spencer Ward Hovey, 43, U.S. Army general engineer; wife, Danielle Elise Call Hovey.

A new stake has been created from the Bartlesville Oklahoma, Broken Arrow Oklahoma and Tulsa Oklahoma stakes. The Owasso Oklahoma Stake, which consists of the Skiatook Branch and the Claremore, Elm Creek, Lake Valley, Pryor and Ranch Creek wards, was created by Elder William K. Jackson, General Authority Seventy, and Elder Mark A. Gottfredson, an Area Seventy.

OWASSO OKLAHOMA STAKE: (May 7, 2023) President — Matthew Lane Bell, 46, OmniSource commercial vice president; wife, Jennifer Dawn Gentry Bell. Counselors — Michael Jay Moe, 53, self-employed; wife, Michelle Lei Murnan Moe. Michael Orrin Baird, 51, dentist; wife, Amylyn Roberts Baird.

A new stake has been created from the Queen Creek Arizona East and Queen Creek Arizona South stakes. The Queen Creek Arizona Empire Stake, which consists of the Circle Cross, Gary, Paisley Park, Sierra Vista, Kyline and Sunset wards, was created by Elder Peter M. Johnson, General Authority Seventy, and Elder Broc C. Hiatt, an Area Seventy.

QUEEN CREEK ARIZONA EMPIRE STAKE: (Jan. 29, 2023) President — Hyrum Eli D’Addabbo, 54, Stage Call Corp. safety manager; wife, Kelli Jo Moyers D’Addabbo. Counselors — Scott Alton Molesworth, 59, Molesworth Digital marketing director; wife, Drondi Lyn Paulson Molesworth. Gene Wayne Parker, 60, Northrop Grumman Corp. senior staff aeronautical engineer; wife, Elva Marie Shepherd Parker.

A new stake has been created from the Trujillo Perú Esperanza Stake. The Trujillo Perú Jerusalén Stake, which consists of the Arévalo, El Milagro, Jerusalén, Los Robles and Nuevo Trujillo wards, was created by Elder Rafael E. Pino, General Authority Seventy, and Elder Fernando R. García, an Area Seventy.

TRUJILLO PERÚ JERUSALÉN STAKE: (April 30, 2023) President — Miguel Angel Avila Garcia, 39, Fundación Five 12 director; wife, Flor Angelica de Avila Rodriguez. Counselors — Eduard Ciles Diaz Calderon, 53, Digelt E.I.R.L. manager; wife, Fany Margot Diaz de Leon. Hector Eduardo Campos Fernandez, 38, self-employed sales adviser; wife, Cindy Nayana Rodriguez de Campos.

A new stake has been created from the Ogden Utah West and West Haven Utah stakes. The West Haven Utah North Stake, which consists of the Park and Water Tower branches and the Riverbend, Wilson 2nd, Wilson 3rd, Wilson 4th and Wilson 5th wards, was created by Elder Jack N. Gerard, General Authority Seventy, and Elder David Frischknecht, an Area Seventy.

WEST HAVEN UTAH NORTH STAKE: (May 21, 2023) President — Kenneth Vaughn Eddington, 54, Eurofins Medical Device Testing sales manager; wife, Sheri Ann Callister Eddington. Counselors — Joel Warren Deeble, 49, operations manager; wife, Allison Fawn Sivula Deeble. Joshua Jed Benson, 44, real estate appraiser; wife, Stephanie Stephens Benson.

Reorganized Stakes

ANN ARBOR MICHIGAN STAKE: (May 21, 2023) President — John Berkeley Larsen, 48, Vellum Wellness Inc. co-founder and CEO; succeeding Brent B. Ward; wife, Laurel Anne McAllister Larsen. Counselors — Gregory Scott Christensen, 50, Ford Motor Co. manufacturing director; wife, Ellyn Elizabeth Belobraidich Christensen. Jared Christopher Williams, 39, Novilla RNG co-CEO; wife, Brittany Horne Williams.

ARAPAHOE COLORADO STAKE: (May 7, 2023) President — Tim Donald Martin Jr., 53, U.S. Department of Interior training manager; succeeding Robert E. Hansen; wife, Heidi Michelle Coles Martin. Counselors — Micah Shane Monson, 47, Fidelity Investments vice president and financial consultant; wife, Lora Joy Morrell Monson. Brandon Harrison McIlroy, 45, The McIlroy Financial Group partner; wife, Melanie Ann Hahn McIlroy.

BOGOTÁ COLOMBIA SUBA STAKE: (March 5, 2023) President — Diego Leon Zapata Benitez, 49, commercial manager; succeeding Jose A. Bermudez; wife, Alicia Liliana Zapata Castro. Counselors — Henry Manuel Fandiño Osorio, 60, businessman; wife, Julia Helena Fandiño Arias de la Rosa. Edilberto Ireguis Manjarres, 43, Porvenir S.A. human talent development director; wife, Veronica Regina Gonzalez Vega.

BREDA NETHERLANDS STAKE: (May 14, 2023) President — Percy Odilio Marcel De Wilde, 59, MacLean BV business manager; succeeding Marvin M. Bijkerk; wife, Anna Jacoba Boom De Wilde. Counselors — Joeri Verwaard, 37, Church regional facilities manager; wife, Laura Deborah Vreeken Verwaard. Ruben Boom, 36, IFM Electronic global head of sales enablement; wife, Amelia Monik Ray Boom.

BUTTE MONTANA STAKE: (May 21, 2023) President — Curtis Kyo-Shin Andrews, 46, orthodontist; succeeding Scott K. Steinfeldt; wife, Laurie Chiemi Kawasaki Andrews. Counselors — Devin Stratton Dahl, 37, Dahl Wholesale owner; wife, Tanya Elizabeth Nooner Dahl. Curt Joshua Schoenfeld, 41, stay-at-home father; wife, Shenelle Kleyn Schoenfeld.

CARACAS VENEZUELA PALO VERDE STAKE: (April 16, 2023) President — Edgardo Elias Angulo Garcia, 39, Church temple recorder; succeeding Juan B. Diaz; wife, Laura Valentina de Angulo Artigas. Counselors — Elias Javier Rodriguez Miranda, 46, Propio president; wife, Ginna Elizabeth Alviarez de Rodriguez. Hector Ramon Rojas Zorrilla, 47, contractor; wife, Lurby Marisel de Rojas Flores.

CARTAGENA COLOMBIA STAKE: (May 21, 2023) President — Giordano Amir Nobles Escandon, 34, Supergestion Spa technology director; succeeding Willington A. Plata; wife, Gisela de Jesus Altamar Figueroa. Counselors — Hernan Gomez Mancilla, 45, Coomeva paramedic; wife, Margarita Johana Jimenez Payares. Roberto Carlos Ramirez Barrios, 49, Faedca field technician; wife, Yamile Puello Diaz.

CARTAGO COSTA RICA STAKE: (May 14, 2023) President — Josue Montero Segura, 41, EduTech de Centroamérica CEO; succeeding Sergio Marin Portilla; wife, Ana Edith Chaves Mora. Counselors — Mahonri Moriancumer Silva Arias, 40, Church facilities manager; wife, Karent Geannina Morales Zuñiga. Deybi Steve Solano Coto, 33, business owner; wife, Dayanna Carolina Anchia Quesada.

CHICLAYO PERU EL DORADO STAKE: (May 14, 2023) President — Jorge Luis Izquierdo Peña, 44, accountant and financial adviser; succeeding Carlos F. Carvallo; wife, Marilena de Izquierdo Guevara. Counselors — Ricardo Luis Romaña Albitres, 48, Church maintenance technician; wife, Deisy Yovany Sales de Romaña. Jorge Michael Mendoza Banda, 38, Maquiequip LT SAC technical manager; wife, Maria Jose de Mendoza Sobrino.

CUAUTLA MÉXICO ZAPATA STAKE: (May 7, 2023) President — Ricardo Victoria Velázquez, 48, retired Mexican army captain; succeeding Mauro Anaya Carranza; wife, Claudia García Tapia. Counselors — Salvador Cacique Mejia, 66, retired teacher; wife, Martha Patricia de Cacique Ortiz. Carlos Alberto Perez Chavez, 48, Segalmex Disconsa store manager; wife, Maria Rosalba Guerrero Hernandez.

DUMAGUETE PHILIPPINES STAKE: (May 28, 2023) President — Jose Ray Pinili Credo, 57, farmer; succeeding Ferdinand A. Lantaca; wife, Ludele General Digay Credo. Counselors — Miko Dave Pada Lado, 37, Aestus Software Solutions Dumaguete tech admin and manager; wife, Mary Jane Francisco Galo Lado. Jorge Aquino Alit II, 40, real estate agent; wife, Sunday Fernandez Gequinto Alit.

EL PASO TEXAS STAKE: (June 4, 2023) President — Timothy David Jennings, 40, dentist; succeeding Jason K. Constans; wife, Nicole Bee Jennings. Counselors — Gabriel Manuel Peña Serrano, 47, OnLine Transport logistics and warehouse broker; wife, Susana Mejia Peña. Jared Jacob Perez, 44, Charles Schwab senior manager; wife, Hanna Jean Jensen Perez.

FORMOSA ARGENTINA STAKE: (May 14, 2023) President — Alan David Cravero, 34, CA Maintenance and Services manager; succeeding Guillermo A. Urbieta; wife, Rocio del Alba Cravero. Counselors — Diego Sebastian Acuña, 43, Ministry of Culture and Education School of Gastronomy and Hospitality coordinator; wife, Lorena Silvana Acuña. Hector Enrique Gonzalez, 32, merchant; wife, Sofia Andrea Fleytas.

GUAYAQUIL ECUADOR KENNEDY STAKE: (Feb. 26, 2023) President — Daniel Francisco Quiroz Giler, 40, Seminaries and Institutes of Religion institute director; succeeding Kleber A. Litardo; wife, Katherin Nataly Casilari de Quiroz. Counselors — Rafael Hernando Pesantez Villao, 60, Comerquim technical director; wife, Fanny Vélez de Pesantez. Roberto Moroni Lizano Arauz, 43, Laboratorio Lazo human talent coordinator; wife, Andrea Estefania Ampudia de Lizano.

HEIDELBERG GERMANY STAKE: (May 7, 2023) President — Martin Daniel Siebert, 32, Robert Bosch GmbH artificial intelligence project leader; succeeding Holder T. Henkel; wife, Deborah Annina Wiesner Siebert. Counselors — Tilmann Mathias Rückauer, 47, pediatric surgery specialist; wife, Yvonne Eliane Sarah Ottiker Rückauer. Gert Dabron, 51, Werkzeughandel head of purchasing, product management and logistics; wife, Tina Vera Sahm Dabron.

HEREDIA COSTA RICA STAKE: (May 28, 2023) President — Daniel Glen Allen, 42, Lincoln School general director; succeeding Walter R. Venegas Arias; wife, Lynzie Greer Allen. Counselors — Esteban Eduardo Rodriguez Strasburger, 53, Triumph Holdings manager; wife, Maria Fernanda Montero Vargas de Rodriguez. Federico Gabriel Ureña Ferrero, 48, lawyer and notary; wife, Carolina de Ureña Vargas Badilla.

HILLCREST SOUTH AFRICA STAKE: (May 21, 2023) President — Sthembiso Goodwill Khumalo, 36, GEA service branch manager; succeeding Jacques B. De Wet; wife, Winifred Nolusindiso Maxham Khumalo. Counselors — Wesley Junjuar Glenard O’Moore, 45, Collaborative Consulting managing director; wife, Belinda Gesina Booyse O’Moore. Lloyd Kapande, 37, freelance translations editor; wife, Penelope Minky Moahloli Kapande.

IPSWICH ENGLAND STAKE: (April 16, 2023) President — Enrique Cano Carballar, 49, Fresha head of cybersecurity; succeeding Robert Schwartz; wife, Dawn Louise Brooks Cano Carballar. Counselors — Simon Michael Leydon, 44, 3D Trading regional manager; wife, Gemma Louise Rachel Lamb Leydon. Edward James Pentreath, 30, With Leadership leadership development consultant; wife, Lucy Jade Fagg Pentreath.

LAS VEGAS NEVADA REDROCK STAKE: (April 30, 2023) President — Ian Kenji Yamane, 56, Valhalla Wellness president; succeeding Thomas A. Thomas; wife, Deborah Jean Kerr Yamane. Counselors — Bryce Kendal Earl, 50, Acrisure LLC senior vice president and general counsel for West and Midwest regions; wife, Shauna Renee Whetten Earl. James Jack Leavitt, 55, attorney; wife, Amy Secrist Leavitt.

LAYTON UTAH STAKE: (May 21, 2023) President — Chad Timothy Larsen, 56, Bonneville/KSL news promotion manager; succeeding Kyle L. Dearden; wife, Annisa Raquel Hancey Larsen. Counselors — Gary Stephen Michaelson, 63, Rinchem integration manager; wife, Claire Lynn Barta Michaelson. Henry Dee Call Jr., 60, Associated Food Stores Inc. senior developer; wife, Christine Ann Jensen Call.

LOMÉ TOGO TOKOIN STAKE: (May 7, 2023) President — Koffi N’Sougan, 49, government educator; succeeding Folly Mikpeayevo; wife, A.A. Albertine Agbodjalou. Counselors — Komlanvi Kanlihoé Sokame, 35, science teacher; wife, Delali Amivi Ketemepy Sokame. Ada Roger Evegna, 28, Tab Group Business maintenance and logistics department assistant manager; wife, Akouvi Dzigbodi Patience Nyuiadzi Evegna.

MARACAY VENEZUELA STAKE: (May 14, 2023) President — Jose Nitalys Alejos Ratia, 45, Sanford Brands Venezuela Inc. supervisor; succeeding Jonathan J. Carrillo Castro; wife, Aida Cecilia de Alejos Partidas. Counselors — Jose Lorenzo Miranda, 68, Services and Maintenance Farfan C.A. director; wife, Maria Elba Pastran de Miranda. Nelvis Ibrahim Guzman Roger, 39, Estilos Braven Import general manager; wife, Roxana Jarilin de Guzman Varela.

MÉXICO CITY ERMITA STAKE: (April 16, 2023) President — Ivan Romo Palacios, 40, Church Mexico services manager; succeeding Fernando Valdés; wife, Ruth Lirey de Romo Velez. Counselors — Rafael Rodriguez Mascareñas, 49, Morph Industries S.A. general administrator; wife, Ana Laura Rocha Juarez. Gustavo Adolfo Castro Guevara, 30, Asthec Mexico S.A. de C.V. senior account executive and legal representative; wife, Ginna Alexandra Peña Salamanca.

MIDLAND MICHIGAN STAKE: (May 7, 2023) President — John Evan Lowry, 48, Central Michigan University College of Medicine director of faculty development; succeeding Derrek D. Henrie; wife, Charlene Marie Huntsman Lowry. Counselors — Jason Lael Barden, 48, college and university instructor and Barden Funeral Home funeral director; wife, Cheryl Lynnette Berry Barden. Gregory Jensen Boss, 52, Optum senior director; wife, Sheresa Dee Skousen Boss.

NAIROBI KENYA EAST STAKE: (March 5, 2023) President — Denis Muyekho Mukasa, 37, Church welfare and self reliance manager; succeeding Gordon O. Ondiek; wife, Eunice Kavaya Amuli. Counselors — Mutinda Haron Kamto, 46, Church human resources generalist; wife, Jackline Mbinya Mukula. Maurice Buri Orina, 40, businessman; wife, Christine Mutindi Peter Orina.

NIBLEY UTAH WEST STAKE: (June 4, 2023) President — Ryan Bruce Rigby, 42, physician; succeeding Edward M. Hegemann; wife, Emily Sharp Rigby. Counselors — Wade Ross Ardern, 46, Seminaries and Institutes of Religion employee; wife, Jessica Marie Chandler Ardern. Jared Dixon Weston, 49, Simpson Strong-Tie regional sales manager; wife, Holly Hansen Weston.

OGDEN UTAH WEBER NORTH STAKE: (April 30, 2023) President — Kirk Charles Christiansen, 47, general contractor; succeeding Jeffrey S. Bailey; wife, Kristin Jensen Christiansen. Counselors — Robert Glen Jolley, 43, Jolley Plumbing owner and master plumber; wife, Kristen McDougal Jolley. Blake Lamar Isaacson, 40, Brush Brothers Painting owner; wife, Marilee May Maxfield Isaacson.

OKLAHOMA CITY SOUTH STAKE: (April 30, 2023) President — Jonathan Arthur Clarke, 41, dentist; succeeding Jeffrey F. Bellows; wife, Natalia Marie Coles Clarke. Counselors — Keith Allen Mehner, 39, dentist and U.S. Air Force Reserves officer; wife, Stephanie Anne Ward Mehner. Elvis Aaron Leeper, 45, Dell Technologies senior data center sales coach; wife, Rebekka Clegg Anderson Leeper.

OREM UTAH STONEWOOD STAKE: (May 7, 2023) President — James Andrew Christensen, 52, Propensity Health senior partner and founder, and Health Note senior vice president of sales; succeeding David M. Cottrell; wife, Rachelle LaVonne Howe Christensen. Counselors — Brent David McKinley, 60, ExeVision business developer; wife, Kris Dee Marshall McKinley. Steven K Nelson, 64, professional sports coach; wife, Leslie Kay Lyman Nelson.

OREM UTAH TIMPVIEW STAKE: (May 7, 2023) President — Sean Scott Wheelhouse, 57, SirsiDynix senior vice president of operations; succeeding Darin R. Oviatt; wife, Jolynne Mecham Wheelhouse. Counselors — Brian Nelson Chantry, 45, Brigham Young University associate director of admissions; wife, Jennifer Call Chantry. Mark Lynn Merrill, 40, WhyTry sales director; wife, Tasha Anne Turpin Merrill.

ORURO BOLIVIA STAKE: (April 16, 2023) President — Raul Vasquez Viscarra, 42, Fox Mim manager; succeeding Isaías Alcala; wife, Lorena Morochi Medina. Counselors — Edwin Nelson Leon Rojas, 43, technician; wife, Ebelin Sonia de Canaviri Hurtado. Gustavo Pablo Vasquez Llorenty, 38, Telecel S.A. Tigo Oruro manager; wife, Sandra Katya de Vasquez Caracila.

PLEASANT GROVE UTAH WEST STAKE: (April 30, 2023) President — Adam Kenneth Hendrickson, 44, American Heritage School finance and human resources director; succeeding Jason R. Budge; wife, Melisa Thomas Hendrickson. Counselors — Spencer Todd Buie, 39, Murdock Auto Team sales manager; wife, Gena Rose Rogerson Buie. Don Richard Hansen, 65, Universal Risk Services human resources director; wife, Brenda Kitchen Hansen.

PROVO UTAH YSA 16TH STAKE: (May 21, 2023) President — Jonathan Gilbert Sandberg, 53, Brigham Young University professor; succeeding Christophe Giraud-Carrier; wife, Sharon Diane Jannelli Sandberg. Counselors — Antonio Peter Gervais, 61, Brigham Young University systems administrator; wife, Lisa Maurine Forman Gervais. Mark Evan Longhurst, 58, Brigham Young University network engineering director; wife, Carolyn Powell Longhurst.

RÍO CUARTO ARGENTINA STAKE: (March 19, 2023) President — Gabriel Damian Alaniz, 42, Albertengo Hugo Alfredo administrator; succeeding J. Ariel Bogado; wife, Maria Noelia Alaniz. Counselors — Marcelo Alberto Gonzalez, 51, engineer contractor; wife, Maria Celeste Gonzalez. Adrian Lucio Verges, 61, business owner; wife, Maria Victoria Verges.

RIVERTON UTAH WESTERN SPRINGS STAKE: (May 21, 2023) President — Mark Richard Ludwig, 46, Sorenson Impact Group and Sorenson Capital partner; succeeding John R. Murray; wife, Elisa Parker Ludwig. Counselors — Craig John Rich, 42, Wellful vice president of sales; wife, Alicia Peterson Rich. Keith Whitlock Rogers, 46, SoFi software engineer; wife, Kimberly Jo Garner Rogers.

SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA CORDOVA STAKE: (June 11, 2023) President — Todd Darrell Miller, 36, Solidigm market analyst; succeeding Wayne D. Langford; wife, Lindsay Diane Christensen Miller. Counselors — Richard McOmber Teerlink, 59, Teerlink Consultants Inc. principal; wife, Dawn Lee Witbeck Teerlink. Ryan Christopher Lewis, 46, pharmacist; wife, Stephanie Lynne Moses Lewis.

SALT LAKE EMIGRATION STAKE: (April 30, 2023) President — Stephen David James, 52, Larry H. Miller Communities senior vice president; succeeding Scott W. Pickett; wife, Julie Swallow James. Counselors — Todd Robison Zenger, 63, University of Utah professor; wife, Shawn Clarice Rogers Zenger. Russell Kenneth Banz, 55, digital media consultant; wife, Tara Lee Jensen Banz.

SAN JOSE NUEVA ECIJA PHILIPPINES STAKE: (May 28, 2023) President — Nixon Calderon Cruz, 47, self-employed; succeeding Romeo A. Campos; wife, Nelly Urbino Peralta Cruz. Counselors — Artemio Baraquero Astudillo Jr., 49, self-employed farmer; wife, Edna Torres Gabriel Astudillo. Charleo Sevilleja Zapanta, 30, Central Luzon State University instructor and researcher; wife, Maureen Peralta Pascua Zapanta.

SAN SALVADOR EL SALVADOR ILOPANGO STAKE: (May 7, 2023) President — Jorge Alberto Ruiz Alfaro, 34, Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Development financial technician; succeeding Mario E. Godoy Cuellar; wife, Norma Elizabeth Portillo Ruiz. Counselors — Gersson Josue Reyes Garcia, 31, business owner; wife, Vanessa Magaly Rubio de Reyes. Marvin Ernesto Delgado Campos, 33, National Commission for Micro and Small Enterprises treasury technician; wife, Mirna Jasmin Ortiz de Delgado.

SAN SALVADOR EL SALVADOR STAKE: (May 28, 2023) President — Daniel Edgardo Mejia Hernandez, 38, TrinyPlastic SA de CV general manager; succeeding Hugo O. Panameño; wife, Claudia Maria Maldonado Chavez. Counselors — Carlos Antonio Gómez Chévez, 52, Engineering, Services and Investments SA de CV laboratory manager; wife, Silvia Marisol Emerita Marroquin de Gomez. Jose Paolo Noyola Alvarenga, 40, Puntual SA de CV field supervisor; wife, Zicri Doliana Mendoza de Noyola.

SOROCABA BRAZIL SANTANA STAKE: (May 7, 2023) President — Rafael Mastroto da Silva, 37, KPM Logistics sales executive; succeeding Rubens Ferreira; wife, Aline Cristina Pires Mastroto da Silva. Counselors — Rogério Timóteo da Silva, 35, business partner; wife, Bruna de Cássia Silva Baraldi Timóteo. Paulo Rosmar Peronico Dallastra, 39, Redx software engineer; wife, Thais Luna Dallastra.

SPRINGFIELD MISSOURI STAKE: (May 21, 2023) President — Devon Paul Jarvis, 47, Jarvis Family Eye Center owner; succeeding Dale W. Rodman; wife, Brooke Phillips Jarvis. Counselors — Jeffrey Sadao Miyake, 67, retired; wife, Barbara Jean Gwynne Miyake. John David Lawson, 48, Seminaries and Institutes of Religion coordinator; wife, Rebecca Elisabeth Pinegar Lawson.

ST GEORGE UTAH MORNINGSIDE STAKE: (Jan. 22, 2023) President — Kenneth Lyle Beazer, 59, Utah Tech University director of athletics; succeeding Barry L. Bundy; wife, Cidnee Toone Beazer. Counselors — Daniel Louis Ipson, 51, Ernies Stores Inc. president and principal; wife, Jenny Suzanne Bundy Ipson. Paul Ryan Clove, 48, Advanced Commercial Capital Inc. president and CEO, and Clove & Associates CPAs partner; wife, Liesel McMullin Clove.

ST ROBERT MISSOURI STAKE: (May 7, 2023) President — Brett Benson Clayton, 42, physician assistant; succeeding Herman M. Blau; wife, Angela Michelle Weinberger Clayton. Counselors — Michael Lyndal DeWitt, 51, force modernization analyst; wife, Kathia Lorena Gonzalez DeWitt. Dennis Harper Stock, 54, Alexander Forest Investments property manager, and Stock LLC owner; wife, Marci Jeneane Thomas Stock.

STAINES ENGLAND STAKE: (May 28, 2023) President — Daniel Christopher Grant, 44, Dell Technologies senior human resources director; succeeding Russell D. Ball; wife, Caithriona Fiona Kelly Grant. Counselors — David Aubrey Albert Ogle, 43, Zeplin customer success manager; wife, Anne Marie Taylor Ogle. Samuel Douglass Gilstrap, 51, AssetLogic CEO; wife, Kelli Means Gilstrap.

STOCKTON CALIFORNIA STAKE: (June 4, 2023) President — Clark Howard Francis, 52, Merck & Co. pharmaceutical representative; succeeding Scott A. Jensen; wife, Angie Lane Earp Francis. Counselors — Alexis Ivan Cabezas Rojo, 57, Valley Pacific Petroleum manager; wife, Claudia Lorena de Cabezas Carvajal. Ryan Andrew Dickson, 46, Les Schwab Tires manager; wife, Cara Lynn Chlarson Dickson.

TEGUCIGALPA HONDURAS TONCONTÍN STAKE: (April 30, 2023) President — Carlos David Flores Paredes, 38, Maker Displays S.A. owner and manager; succeeding Jose L. Carcamo Valle; wife, Karen Nataly Hernandez Pineda de Flores. Counselors — Kelvin Xavier Mendoza Valladares, 42, TKE industrial safety and health supervisor; wife, Karen Lizeth Colindres de Mendoza. Gustavo Adolfo Espinal Rodriguez, 33, self-employed; wife, Rossy Jannelle Carcamo Grippa de Espinal.

TOOELE UTAH STAKE: (May 7, 2023) President — Jeffrey B England, 59, Citywide Home Loans finance employee and Real Estate Holdings owner; succeeding Todd C Thompson; wife, Linda Kaye Elkington England. Counselors — David Craig Olsen, 62, Gamico president; wife, Phillis Denise McArthur. Michael Maughan Howard, 60, self-employed; wife, Shauna Stewart Howard.

TRUJILLO PERU ESPERANZA STAKE: (April 30, 2023) President — Luis Armando Rojas Hernandez, 38, Superior Court of Justice of Liberty administrative assistant; succeeding Miguel A. Avila; wife, Sandra Gisela Cabrera Asmat. Counselors — Victor Alahin Ibarra Rodriguez, 52, general services employee; wife, Kely Roxana de Ibarra Carbajal. Robert Stewar Salirrosas Moreno, 44, self-employed; wife, Karla Edith de Salirrosas Silva.

URUAPAN MEXICO STAKE: (May 14, 2023) President — Guillermo Manuel Heredia Rodriguez, 38, Medik de Uruapan medicine distribution sales agent; succeeding Juan M. Ortiz Valdez; wife, Sandra Isabel Clemente Camacho. Counselors — Jaén Yazir Nuñez Torres, 42, Grupo Acemat owner and operations manager; wife, Marbella de Nuñez Calderón. Jared Capiz Arreguin, 29, Banco del Bajío SME business executive; wife, Karla Sabina Barajas Espino.

VILA VELHA BRAZIL STAKE: (May 7, 2023) President — Welison Dias de Sousa, 38, psychologist; succeeding Eliezer Wagner de Souza Santos; wife, Giovana Andrade Ferraro Dias. Counselors — Ricardo Leandro de Faria, 47, Government of the State of Espírito Santo executive analyst and Docas do Espírito Santo mid-level technician; wife, Alesandra Maria Ferreira Faria. Lucas Lopes Nascimento, 27, Avellar Media Consultoria customer experience supervisor; wife, Jessica Mabel Vargas Escobar.

VINEYARD UTAH STAKE: (May 21, 2023) President — Nathan Winston Riley, 56, Consultus LLC director of administration; succeeding Aaron W. Johnston; wife, JaNae Holdaway Riley. Counselors — James Packer Smith, 44, Brigham Young University associate professor; wife, Kimberly Randall Smith. Cory Dalan Macy, 48, Lumea vice president of finance; wife, Debra Lynn Moake Macy.

WELLSVILLE UTAH STAKE: (April 23, 2023) President — Justin Don Naser, 50, ARW Engineers president and CEO; succeeding Jed J Hancock; wife, Diana Ward Naser. Counselors — Ryan Steven Stowers, 48, Charles Koch Foundation executive director; wife, Rebecca Benson Stowers. Eric Lee Shipley, 49, Energywise Solutions chief financial officer; wife, Kelly Scott Shipley.

WEST JORDAN UTAH HERITAGE STAKE: (May 7, 2023) President — Seth Lawrence Bigelow, 41, Church health services manager; succeeding H. Thomas Naylor; wife, Hailey Cheyenne Hancuff Bigelow. Counselors — Jason Reed Davenport, 42, Church training services rep; wife, Alisa Marie Busch Davenport. Mani Tua’itanu, 65, Utah Painting Express Inc. owner and president; wife, Vaililo Fuimaono Tua’itanu.

WESTLAND MICHIGAN STAKE: (May 21, 2023) President — Scot Samuel Bowie, 50, QMC-EMI chief financial officer; succeeding David J. Johnson; wife, Lisa Schwartz Bowie. Counselors — Jacob Ross Montierth, 45, Ford Motor Co. operations and quality chief of staff; wife, Laura Ellen Jones Montierth. Adam Larson Lowder, 52, U.S. Social Security Administration special agent; wife, Laura Lynn White Lowder.

WINSTON-SALEM NORTH CAROLINA STAKE: (May 21, 2023) President — Scott Lawrence Snow, 48, Reynolda Equity Partners managing partner; succeeding Gregory A. Scott; wife, Stephanie Alexis Morgan Snow. Counselors — John Daniel Clinger, 45, Wake Forest University School of Medicine associate professor; wife, Alisha Jane Facer Clinger. Jeffrey Alan Simmons, 50, Qorvo Inc. sales operations senior manager; wife, Lisa Sheree Brown Simmons.CANCÚN MÉXICO KABÁH STAKE: (May 21, 2023) President — Ulises Jesus Mex Seijas, 39, Cemex Mexico regional negotiator; succeeding David Flores; wife, Alma Patricia de Mex Torres. Counselors — Pedro Jesus Arredondo Vasquez, 39, Mera Corp. corporate training director; wife, Paulina Serrano Aldrete. Luis Fernando Garrido Cardenas, 55, Sunset World Hotels corporate training manager; wife, Maricela Orozco Fernández.

The post New Stakes and Stake Presidencies Introduced in June 2023 appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

New York — Companies have long embraced Pride Month in June as an uncomplicated way to market to members of the LGBTQ+ community while telegraphing progressive values. But this year won’t be nearly so straightforward.

In recent weeks, two major brands, Target (TGT) and Bud Light, were targeted by right-wing media and on social platforms for relatively small LGBTQ+ initiatives: Bud Light’s Instagram partnership with a trans influencer, and a subset of Target (TGT)’s line of goods marketed to trans customers and allies.

Right-wing commentators, politicians and others called for boycotts, and the brands’ employees were threatened with violence. In both cases, the companies seemed cowed: The CEO of Bud Light owner Anheuser-Busch (BUD) released a vague statement calling for unity and Target pulled items from shelves. Both brands say they continue to support the LGBTQ+ community: Bud Light on Tuesday announced a donation to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce in support of LGBTQ+ owned small businesses, and Target has continued selling much of its Pride merchandise in stores.

Pride month merchandise is displayed at a Target store in New Jersey on May 24.

Seth Wenig/AP

But the backtracking shows that backlash and threats could create a chilling effect for companies, and leave them without a clear path forward.

Executives “are becoming much more skittish about taking these stands and making strong statements,” said Daniel Korschun, associate professor of marketing at Drexel University. “The pendulum is swinging a bit back … toward a more conservative approach, where they’ll be less vocal.”

Although support for gay rights has increased over the years, gaining acceptance among most Americans, trans acceptance is a more contentious issue. About 43% of adults said society had “gone too far” when it comes to accepting people who are transgender, according to a March survey conducted by the Wall Street Journal and Norc. About 33% said society “has not gone far enough,” with 23% saying society has reacted “about right.” When it comes to accepting people who are lesbian, gay or bisexual, a smaller percentage — 29% — said society had “gone too far.”

Campaigns that may have been considered low-risk are now drawing ire from public figures who oppose trans rights along with their supporters, creating a PR mess that may hurt sales. Backing away — rather than quelling the negative reactions — has dismayed the very demographic the campaigns were supposed to reach and may close avenues for future inclusive marketing efforts.

“Allyship is sometimes uncomfortable,” and businesses are learning that, said Jared Todd, press secretary of the Foundation at the Human Rights Campaign, which maintains the Corporate Equality Index, a measure of companies’ LGBTQ+ practices. “I don’t think people realize that quite enough.”

They might realize it now. Anheuser-Busch lost its spot on the HRC Foundation’s Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality in 2022 list over its response, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom called out Target’s CEO for “selling out the LGBTQ+ community to extremists.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom (left) and Senator J. D. Vance are pictured here in a split image.

Justin Sullivan/Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The current landscape “is alarming,” Todd said. “It’s alarming to businesses, it’s alarming to executives — and it should be.”

Staying quiet may once have been an antidote to potential boycotts, but “there’s not as much of a neutral space anymore,” Korschun said. “That middle ground is going away.”

So this year, companies that want to participate in Pride have to be prepared to take a real stance.

A new phase

The conventional wisdom about boycotts was once simple, Korschun noted: Angry customers will likely lose interest or get distracted by another perceived corporate transgression.

But it “feels that we are moving into a new phase now, where politicians are getting much more involved,” Korschun said. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) tweeted that Target “decided to wage war on a large share of its customer base,” adding “I no longer shop at Target.”

That involvement from politicians is “mobilizing consumers in a way that they might not have mobilized otherwise,” Korschun said.

Some of those lashing out have described a campaign against Pride itself, rather than Bud Light or Target (TGT) specifically. “The goal is to make ‘pride’ toxic for brands,” right-wing commentator Matt Walsh said on Twitter. “If they decide to shove this garbage in our face, they should know that they’ll pay a price. It won’t be worth whatever they think they’ll gain.”

It’s no coincidence that the anti-trans assault comes as trans rights are under legal attack across the nation. More than 200 bills have been introduced targeting transgender and non-binary people this year, HumanRights Campaigns reported in late May. Transgender people are more than four times as likely to be victims of violent crime than cisgender people, according to a study from the UCLA School of Law.

“This has been a well-funded and a coordinated effort to silence the LGBTQ community,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD, which aims to build acceptance for the queer community through media. “It’s an all-out assault.”

Yet groups like GLAAD have seen this reaction before — and it ended up turning around.

Reviving an old playbook

Though Pride has been mainstream for years, there was a time not long ago when featuring gay and lesbian people in ads could spark negative response, noted Ellis.

“Ten years ago, we used to have war rooms behind when a company would have a new ad that included LGBTQ people,” she said. “There were a couple of years it was a little rough going.”

Eventually, sentiment turned toward mainstream acceptance. Now, “I think we’re at that inflection point again,” she said.

A 2022 poll conducted by Morning Consult for the Trevor Project found that about 29% of US adults personally know someone who is trans. The remaining population, said Ellis, is “being filled with misinformation … and hate and discrimination.”

Demystifying trans lives for more Americans will lead to greater acceptance, she said, noting that this is a “critical” moment for trans rights and acceptance. “We need corporate America and we need these powerful CEOs to help.”

This year, Pride is different for companies.

Eric Thayer/Bloomberg/Getty Images

GLAAD has organized a “corporate rapid response team for Pride,” Ellis explained, designed for brands to prepare for and address possible outrage. The goal is to prevent “quick decisions that end up hurting our community, ceding space to bullies and violent folks,” she noted, adding none of the companies that partner with GLAAD have backed away from LGBTQ+ initiatives.

The Human Rights Campaign is taking a similar approach, said Todd: “We are in the business of sitting down with these companies and making sure that they have a clear pathway for inclusion and supporting diversity.”

It’s not just about goodwill, advocates say. Companies that have remained committed to polarizing positions are often rewarded financially. Nike (NKE), for example, didn’t waver from its campaign with football player and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick. The ad was supported by the coveted young consumers demographic and won Nike (NKE) an Emmy. In the years since the campaign, Nike (NKE)’s share price has increased.

Most Americans “believe that representation matters,” Todd said. “When companies lean into that, and prove that through what they do and say, they come out on top.”

Plus, noted Drexel’s Korschun, customers tend to punish companies when they go back on their word.

The dangers of corporate hypocrisy

Shoppers are willing to overlook certain changes in stores, noted Korschun, like price increases or temporary shortages. But customers bristle at what they see as hypocrisy.

“Consumers react very poorly when companies say one thing and do another,” Korschun said. “Inconsistency is very disconcerting to many consumers.”

That’s partly because when companies walk back decisions, customers wonder whether they’ll do the same in business dealings — like return policies, for example.

As Korschun put it, “If I come to the store with a problem in the future, related to just a regular purchase … are they going to walk back promises there, too?”

These days, companies that want to benefit from marketing to marginalized groups have to be ready to back those decisions, agreed Jared Watson, assistant professor of marketing at New York University.

“When brands are deciding to participate in advocacy in any format, they need to think about what that long-term advocacy looks like,” Watson said. “Whether they’re willing to internalize that support as a value for their brand, or not. And if they aren’t, then it’s maybe not something that they should be championing.”

Ultimately, Watson suspects the higher stakes will have a polarizing impact on brands.

Some might decide to play it safe. But others, he said, will lean in. North Face this year moved forward with a Pride marketing campaign that features Pattie Gonia, a drag queen and environmentalist — and the company isn’t backing away despite calls for a boycott from some Republicans.

Some brands will think, “‘What’s happening to Target is an attack, not just on the LGBTQIA+ community, but all of us,’” Watson said. “’We need to show we’re not afraid.’”

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From Stonewall to today: 50+ years of modern LGBTQ+ history

From Stonewall to today: 50+ years of modern LGBTQ+ history

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

In the early hours of June 28, 1969, the New York Police Department unwittingly helped start the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. At the time, clubs with gay or lesbian patrons weren’t allowed to serve alcohol, but the Stonewall Inn still served booze to their customers, which gave police cause to raid the bar. The clientele pushed back, and 13 people were arrested. LGBTQ+ people and their allies protested for days. Among the crowd was transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson, who later founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), an organization that provided resources for LGBTQ+ youth and sex workers.

After the events at Stonewall—which the NYPD eventually apologized for in 2019—more and more people pushed for LGBTQ+ equality. Activists organized the first LGBTQ+ marches in the United States and around the world, giving rise to annual Pride parades. In 1973, the American Psychological Association no longer considered being gay or lesbian a mental illness, and the first openly lesbian politicians were elected in the following year. Currently, openly gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer candidates occupy political offices at most levels of government, including in the U.S. House of Representatives, Senate, and state governorships. 

There is still more to be done, but since Stonewall, the government has passed laws banning discrimination based on sexual orientation, and the Supreme Court declared same-sex marriage legal. More than two dozen countries have passed legislation giving marriage rights to everyone.

In the military, it took decades for gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members to win the right to enlist. And it wasn’t until 2011 that LGBTQ+ troops could openly serve in the United States armed forces. While the Obama administration repealed the ban on transgender troops in 2016, former President Donald Trump effectively reinstated it in 2019 (though the ban was overturned by the Biden administration in 2021).

To find out more about LGBTQ+ history, Stacker combed through news reports and used data from GLSEN to compile over 50 years of LGBTQ+ progress. Read on to see the evolution of this movement, from then to now.

You may also like: Looking back at 50 years of pride festivals

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1969: Stonewall Riots

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

Anger erupted after New York City police arrested 13 people during a raid at the Stonewall Inn, a bar and safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. Advocates protested for days, even though police took action—even turning fire hoses onto the crowd. Many say the event catalyzed the modern LGBTQ+ civil rights movement.

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1969: Gay Liberation Front forms

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

The events of Stonewall led to the creation of the GLF, a group that organized the Christopher Street Liberation Day in New York in 1970—now considered the first Pride parade. It started with only a few hundred people, but by the time the group reached Central Park, thousands were marching for LGBTQ+ equality.

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1972: Sweden allows people to legally change gender

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

In 1972, Sweden became the first country to give people the right to legally change their gender on identifying documents. However, people needed to be over 18 years old, unmarried, and sterilized; the country didn’t remove the mandatory sterilization law until 2013. In some U.S. states, people still need to undergo gender-reassignment surgery to legally change their gender.

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1972: UK has first Pride parade

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

The United Kingdom held the country’s first LGBTQ+ Pride parade on July 1, 1972. Britain’s GLF organized the event, and about 700 people showed up to march. Their slogan was simple: “Gay is good.”

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1973: Homosexuality is no longer classified as a mental illness

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

Until the early ’70s, physicians could diagnose someone in a same-sex relationship as mentally ill. But in 1973, the American Psychiatric Association removed “homosexuality” from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (or the DSM-II).

US Department of Labor // Wikimedia Commons

1974: First openly lesbian officials elected

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

Kathy Kozachenko and Elaine Noble became the nation’s first openly lesbian or gay elected officials in 1974. Kozachenko won a seat on the Ann Arbor City Council in Michigan, while Noble held a position in the Massachusetts General Assembly.

Jiaqian AirplaneFan // Wikimedia Commons

1977: First openly gay man elected

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

Harvey Milk made history when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay male politician elected in a major city. Before he was assassinated a year later, Milk helped pass city ordinances to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation.

JIM WATSON/AFP // Getty Images

1978: The rainbow flag is created

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

In 1978, Harvey Milk’s friend Gilbert Baker brought his 30-by-60-foot rainbow flag to an LGBTQ+ rights rally in San Francisco. Afterward, it became an enduring symbol of pride for the LGBTQ+ community. According to The Washington Post, Baker sometimes referred to himself as “the Betsy Ross of gay liberation.” He died in 2017 at the age of 65.

Spencer Platt // Getty Images

1981: Norway enacts anti-discrimination laws

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

In 1981, Norway amended its laws to include protections for LGBTQ+ people. The legislation stated that business owners couldn’t discriminate against customers based on sexual orientation nor deny them access to public events. Hate speech was also prohibited.

Andrzej Wójtowicz // Wikimedia Commons

1981: Gay men affected with ‘rare cancer’

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

In 1981, the New York Times reported 41 gay men had been afflicted with a “rare cancer.” Doctors originally thought HIV/AIDS was a skin cancer known as Kaposi’s sarcoma. A year later, though, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) started calling the illness “acquired immune deficiency syndrome,” or AIDS.

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1982: Wisconsin passes LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination law

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

In 1981, Rep. David Clarenbach (D-Wis.) brought forth a measure to protect LGBTQ+ people from employment discrimination in public and private sectors, making Wisconsin the first in the U.S. to pass a statewide law against such discrimination. The law also banned landlords from denying housing based on sexual orientation.

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1983: BiPOL forms

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

BiPOL, the first bisexual political group, started in San Francisco in 1983. They helped put on the Bisexual Rights Rally a year later, which took place outside the Democratic National Convention.

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1986: Bowers v. Hardwick

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Apr 26, 2023

After Michael Hardwick failed to show up for a court summons for public drinking, a police officer went to his house. That’s when he and a male friend were arrested for having consensual sex, which was illegal between two people of the same gender. The case, Bowers v. Hardwick, went to the Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the state. The Court didn’t strike down sodomy laws until 2003.

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1986: New York passes anti-discrimination bill

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

After more than a decade of debate, New York City passed an anti-discrimination bill in 1986: Sexual orientation couldn’t be the basis of discrimination in employment, housing, or public accommodations.

Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

1987: UK opens first HIV/AIDS clinic

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

The HIV/AIDS crisis continued into the late ’80s. In 1987, Princess Diana dispelled the myth that the disease could be transmitted by touch: without gloves, she shook the hand of an infected man at the opening of the United Kingdom’s first HIV/AIDS unit at the London Middlesex Hospital.

Rick // Wikimedia Commons

1987: Barney Frank comes out as gay

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

Although his straight allies and colleagues cautioned him against it, U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) revealed his sexual orientation in 1987, making him the second openly gay congressman. Rep. Gerry Studds (D-Mass.) reluctantly came out in 1983. Frank announced his retirement in 2011.

Tasos Katopodis // Getty Images

1987: ACT UP

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

The AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) helped change the way people thought about the disease. Their slogan was simple but effective: “Silence = death.” Many say that the group jump-started a movement that led to the creation of HIV/AIDS drugs.

You may also like: Defining historical moments from the year you were born

Elvert Barnes // Wikimedia Commons

1988: National Coming Out Day starts

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

A year after the second March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, a group of activists founded National Coming Out Day (October 11), which aims to help LGBTQ+ people live openly.

Elvert Barnes // Wikimedia Commons

1989: Denmark legalizes same-sex unions

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

Demark recognized same-sex domestic partnerships in 1989, which extended the rights of marriage to gay and lesbians couples. In 2010, same-sex couples in the country could register for adoptions, and by 2012, they could legally get married.

KELD NAVNTOFT/AFP // Getty Images

1990: First Pride parade in South Africa

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

Activist Simon Nkoli helped start the Gay and Lesbian Organisation of the Witwatersrand. GLOW organized the first Pride parade in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1990, where people also marched against apartheid. Some LGBTQ+ marchers were so scared of exposing themselves that they marched with bags over their faces. Only about 800 people gathered for the first parade; by 2018, that number swelled to 22,000.

Lois GoBe // Shutterstock

1994: ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ enacted

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

Then-President Bill Clinton signed “don’t ask, don’t tell” as a compromise with Republicans: gay and lesbian service members could join the military, but they could not tell anyone about their sexual orientation. Some officials—including Colin Powell, who was the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time—voiced concerns about AIDS and whether gay and straight soldiers would have to live in the same quarters.

Mark Wilson // Getty Images

1994: American Medical Association opposes conversion therapy

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

As the mid-’90s approached, the AMA told doctors to have “nonjudgmental recognition” of their gay, lesbian, and bisexual patients, and also stopped recommending that physicians try to “reverse” a patient’s sexual orientation. As of May 2022, Washington D.C. and 20 states have banned this type of conversion therapy.

You may also like: US cities with the dirtiest air

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1995: Gay and lesbian workers can get government security clearance

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

Until 1995, someone who was gay or lesbian might not get a federal security clearance because government officials considered sexual orientation a security risk, the rationale being that gay and lesbian people who kept their lives secret could be subject to blackmail. Then-President Bill Clinton signed an executive order ending the regulation.

US Federal Government // Wikimedia Commons

1996: President Bill Clinton signs Defense of Marriage Act

Updated
Apr 26, 2023

In 1996, Clinton signed a law defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman. In 2013, he wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post asking the Supreme Court to overturn DOMA. In the piece, Clinton wrote he believed the law to be &#