NEIL GIULIANO

Neil Giuliano is an American politician who served as mayor of Tempe, Arizona for four terms, from 1994 to 2004 (three two-year terms and one four-year term). After serving in elected office he served as president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) from 2005 to 2009, and served as President/CEO of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation from December 2010 to December 2015. Giuliano was the first directly-elected openly gay mayor in the United States, and Tempe was the largest city in America with an openly gay mayor for nearly six years, 1996- 2001.

After he first came out as gay in August 1996, political opponents tried to initiate a recall election to remove him from office, but that effort failed. Following a controversy over city funds being directed to the Boy Scouts of America in 2000, a successful recall effort proceeded to the ballot. The recall election was held on September 11, 2001. Giuliano won in a landslide, defeating a campaign that was called "blatantly homophobic".

Giuliano served as president of the GLAAD, a national LGBT organization dedicated to ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of LGBT people and events in the media, from 2005 to 2009. He initiated LGBT media advocacy programs and awareness in the areas of sports, advertising and religion/faith/values, helping bridge the divide about LGBT issues in these critical communities. During his tenure, the GLAAD Media Awards were first broadcast on the BRAVO Network, reaching over 80 million homes with LGBT affirming messages.

Neil Giuliano is a Certified Proud Icon because he has used his career to break boundaries and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.