U.S.

Salt Lake City elects its first openly gay mayor

/ CBS/AP

SALT LAKE CITY -- Former Utah lawmaker Jackie Biskupski has become the first openly gay mayor of Salt Lake City.

Official election results released Tuesday show the 49-year-old Biskupski defeated two-term incumbent Ralph Becker with a winning percentage of 51.55, CBS affiliate KUTV reports.

Her win marks a milestone for the LGBT community in the conservative state, even as the Mormon church and a small town judge delivered setbacks.

A judge in central Utah last week ordered a foster child to be removed from a lesbian couple and placed with a heterosexual couple, citing the well-being of the child. He later reversed his decision.

Days earlier, the Mormon church issued a new policy that bans baptisms for children of gay parents until the kids turn 18 and disavow same-sex relationships.

Biskupski is not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and said she hopes the faith reconsiders the policy.

First published on November 17, 2015 / 4:55 PM EST

CBS/AP

f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.