The rights of lesbian,gay,bisexual,transgender,and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Utah have significantly evolved in the 21st century. Protective laws have become increasingly enacted since 2014,despite the state's reputation as socially conservative and highly religious. Utah's anti-sodomy law was invalidated in 2003 by Lawrence v. Texas,and fully repealed by the state legislature in 2019. Same-sex marriage has been legal since the state's ban was ruled unconstitutional by federal courts in 2014. In addition,statewide anti-discrimination laws now cover sexual orientation and gender identity in employment and housing,and the use of conversion therapy on minors is prohibited. In spite of this,there are still a few differences between the treatment of LGBTQ people and the rest of the population,and the rights of transgender youth are restricted.
Clarence Burgess Owens is an American politician,nonprofit executive,and former professional football player serving as the U.S. representative for Utah's 4th congressional district since 2021. He played safety for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders,winning a championship with the Raiders in Super Bowl XV in 1980. Since leaving the NFL,Owens has founded several businesses and is the CEO of a nonprofit dedicated to helping troubled and incarcerated youth. A Republican,Owens was first elected to Congress in 2020,when he narrowly defeated incumbent Democrat Ben McAdams in the 2020 election. Owens is one of four black Republicans in the House of Representatives.
Michael Kent Winder is an American businessman,author,and politician. He was the mayor of West Valley City,Utah between 2010 and 2014. A Republican,he subsequently represented District 30 in the Utah House of Representatives for three terms,from 2017 to 2022. He is the author of fourteen published books on Utah and LDS history,including Presidents and Prophets:The Story of America's Presidents and the LDS Church.
Mark Archuleta Wheatley is a Democratic member of the Utah State House of Representatives,representing the 35th District since 2004. He lives in Murray,Utah,with his wife Josie.
Jason E. Chaffetz is an American retired politician who served as the U.S. representative for Utah's 3rd congressional district from 2009 until his resignation in 2017. He chaired the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform from 2015 until 2017.
Benjamin Michael McAdams is an American politician and attorney who served as the U.S. representative from Utah's 4th congressional district from 2019 to 2021. He was the only Democratic member of Utah's congressional delegation,and a member of the Blue Dog Coalition. From 2013 to 2019,he served as mayor of Salt Lake County,and from 2009 to 2012,he was the Utah state senator from the 2nd district,which includes Salt Lake City,South Salt Lake,and a portion of West Valley. McAdams was elected to Congress in 2018,narrowly defeating two-term Republican incumbent Mia Love. In 2020,McAdams ran for reelection,but he lost to Republican challenger Burgess Owens. He is the most recent Democrat to represent Utah in Congress.
Spencer James Cox is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 18th governor of Utah since 2021. A member of the Republican Party,he served as the eighth lieutenant governor of Utah from 2013 to 2021. In Fairview,Utah,where Cox lives and was raised,he was elected to the city council in 2004 and then as mayor in 2005. In 2008,he was elected as a Sanpete County commissioner.
Angela Romero is an American politician and the Democratic leader of the Utah House of Representatives representing the 25th District since January 1,2023. Prior to redistricting,she represented the 26th District since January 1,2013.
Daniel McCay is an American politician and a Republican member of the Utah Senate representing District 18. Prior to redistricting he represented District 11. He was in the Utah House of Representatives representing District 41 from 2013 through 2018. McCay was initially appointed by Republican Governor of Utah Gary Herbert to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Carl Wimmer.
Michael Steven Kennedy is an American physician,attorney,and politician currently serving as the U.S. Representative from Utah’s 3rd congressional district. He previously served as a Republican member of the Utah Senate from 2021 to 2025 and as a member of the Utah House of Representatives from 2013 to 2019. Kennedy was a candidate in the 2018 U.S. Senate election in Utah. He received the most votes at the Utah State Republican Convention but was defeated by Mitt Romney in the subsequent primary for the Republican nomination.
Rebecca P. Edwards is politician and therapist who served as a member of the Utah House of Representatives from 2009 to 2018. Edwards was a candidate for the 2022 United States Senate election in Utah,challenging incumbent Senator Mike Lee in the Republican primary. On May 31,2023,Edwards announced her candidacy in the 2023 Utah 2nd congressional district special election to replace U.S. representative Chris Stewart. Edwards went on to narrowly lose the September 5th Republican primary to Celeste Maloy,a former staffer for Stewart.
Deidre Marie Henderson is an American politician serving as the ninth lieutenant governor of Utah since January 4,2021. From 2013 to 2021,she served as a member of the Utah State Senate for District 7,which is based in Spanish Fork,Utah.
Aimee Winder Newton is an American politician and member of the Salt Lake County Council representing the 3rd District. On October 23,2019,Winder Newton announced her candidacy for Governor of Utah in 2020. She was the third female in history to file for Governor in the State of Utah.
Ronald M. Nate is an American politician and economist who has previously served as a member of the Idaho House of Representatives from the 34th district. He was an economics professor at Brigham Young University–Idaho and is now president of the Idaho Freedom Foundation,a conservative think tank. He is part of the far-right faction of the Idaho Republican Party.
Karen Kwan is an American politician serving in the Utah State Senate from the 12th district. On January 16,2023 she was selected by delegates of the Utah Democratic Party to replace resigning Senator Karen Mayne. Before her appointment to the Senate she served in the Utah House of Representatives,representing the 34th district from 2017 to 2023. She also previously served as the House Minority Whip.
Suzanne Harrison is an American politician and physician who served as a member of the Utah House of Representatives for the 32nd district from 2019 to 2022. She was elected to the Salt Lake County Council in November 2022 and assumed office in January 2023.
Blake David Moore is an American politician and former diplomat from the state of Utah. He is the U.S. representative for Utah's 1st congressional district,serving since January 2021. Since November 8,2023,he has been vice chair of the House Republican Conference.
Clare Collard is an American politician who served as a member of the Utah House of Representatives from the 22nd district from January 1,2021,to December 31,2022.
Beverly Jean White was an American politician who served in the Utah House of Representatives for the 57th,64th,and 21st districts from 1971 to 1991,as a member of the Democratic Party. The longest-serving consecutive female member of the Utah State Legislature as of her death,White held multiple positions in the Democratic Party at the local,state,and national levels and attended many state and national conventions.
The 2024 Utah gubernatorial election was held on November 5,2024,to elect the governor of Utah,concurrently with the 2024 U.S. presidential election,as well as elections to the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican Governor Spencer Cox won re-election to a second term,defeating Democratic nominee,state Representative Brian King and Republican state Representative Phil Lyman,who ran as a write-in candidate after being defeated in the Republican primary. Primary elections took place on June 25,2024. This was the smallest percent of the vote by a winning republican since the 1992 election,which also saw a major independent candidate. Cox's 24.43% margin of victory was also the smallest since 2004.
