Equality Utah enters its 25th year of ‘A Crazy Idea’
Nearly a quarter-century ago, Jim Dabakis had what he called a “crazy idea.” At a time when LGBTQ rights were virtually nonexistent in Utah, and political acceptance was minimal at best, he dared to ask: What if queer Utahns had real political power? What if they could elect allies, influence legislation, and claim their rightful seat at the table?
That question became a movement. On July 12, 2001, with the support of fellow community leaders Doug Wortham and Michelle Turpin, and seed funding from philanthropist Bruce Bastian, Dabakis co-founded Unity Utah, the state’s first LGBTQ Political Action Committee. Today, that organization is known as Equality Utah, and it just entered its 25th year as Utah’s leading LGBTQ political advocacy organization.
To mark the occasion, Dabakis recently returned to Equality Utah headquarters for a visit with staff and supporters, reflecting on the history that shaped the movement—and the movement that reshaped Utah.
“When we started, the goal was simple,” Dabakis told the group. “We needed fair-minded people in office, and we needed them to know we existed.”
In 2004, after voters passed Amendment 3, a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and legal recognition of same-sex relationships, Unity Utah evolved into Equality Utah, launching two new arms: a Political Action Committee and a Foundation. The move allowed the organization to broaden its mission from elections to education and lobbying.
In 2012, Dabakis became a newly elected state senator and brought that mission directly into the Utah Capitol. He helped broker one of the most unlikely victories in LGBTQ political history: the Utah Compromise of 2015. The law, passed with bipartisan and backing of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, granted nondiscrimination protections to LGBTQ Utahns in housing and employment while preserving certain religious liberties. Utah became the first Republican-led state to pass such legislation.
“That moment proved that progress is possible, even here,” Dabakis said.
Dabakis’ activism is rooted in personal loss. He came out publicly during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, a time when misinformation, stigma, and indifference were rampant. After watching friends suffer, and sometimes die alone after being turned away from care, he made a promise to himself and to their memories: Never be silent again.
“I owe it to all of my friends and all the people I care about to not live quietly,” Dabakis said. “We’re not crawling back into little holes. We’re not going away.”
That spirit still drives Equality Utah today, from its early fights for nondiscrimination ordinances and marriage equality to more recent victories like banning conversion therapy for minors, helping pass Utah’s first comprehensive hate crimes law, and inserting explicit LGBTQ protections into a 2024 religious freedom bill.
During his visit, Dabakis reminded Equality Utah’s current team that building political power in a conservative state requires not just confrontation, but also connection. His ethos has always been about turning adversaries into allies. Whether knocking on doors, debating colleagues, or negotiating with church leaders, he’s found success by engaging with people across ideological divides.
“Change happens when you sit down with someone who thinks differently, and you share your story,” said Dabakis. “And if you can do it with a sense of humor and a little charm, even better.”
The meeting was part history lesson, part strategy session, and part pep talk. Dabakis recounted how many of Equality Utah’s biggest wins didn’t start in the Capitol building, but with a phone call, a conversation, or a commitment to show up.
As Equality Utah reflects on its past, its team isn’t just looking backward. Today, the organization maintains a full-time presence at the state legislature, working year-round to influence bills that affect the LGBTQ community.
What began as a “crazy idea” in 2001 is now one of the most effective and respected LGBTQ advocacy organizations in the nation. Made in Utah, for Utah.
“Thanks for the blueprint, Jim. We’re not stopping now,” said Equality Utah Executive Director Troy Williams.
For more information, visit equalityutah.org.
