POWERGRAMS

21 a lawyer and made their union legal in their home state. The continuing struggle for gay rights is felt in Alabama and across the nation. President Barack Obama in 2009 outlawed hate crimes based on gender and sexuality, then two years later repealed President Bill Clinton's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" rule for the military. Yet, the many legal and societal changes of the past century can't change people's ideas, habits or prejudices. Sometimes the questions are as simple as should someone be called "gay" or "lesbian"? "I prefer Krista," she says. "You can call me what you want to call me but my name's Krista. We never really held onto labels or anything like that. Lesbian, gay, butch, gender-nonconforming. There are all kinds of names out there now, some that I don't even understand." But Krista Presnall is certainly in the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning and/or queer) community and conversation. She is on the new Barry Culture Committee and works with South Alabama AIDS, Door to Serenity and other groups to uplift people who share a common goal of enlightening the world around them. She proudly flies a rainbow flag from her front porch as it often waves over their five dogs. Several years ago at an APSO convention, Presnall publicly asked Executive Vice President Jeff Peoples what could be done to advance the cause of LGBTQ employees. They talked afterward and, today, the Council on Culture and Inclusion that Peoples heads is helping to address prejudices and offers employee education courses to improve conditions. Presnall said when she started working at Barry in 2008, bringing up gay issues was tough, but things are improving day by day. Now there is no secret about her life or lifestyle at her job site or within her company circles. Krista and Nancy Henken-Presnall

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