Candace Gingrich

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox person Candace Gingrich (Template:IPAc-en; born June 2, 1966) is an American LGBT rights activist at the Human Rights Campaign. Candace is the half-sibling<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.<ref name="Speaker's Sister Now Speaking Out">Seelye, Katharine. Speaker's Sister Now Speaking Out, The New York Times, March 6, 1995. Retrieved on February 29, 2020.</ref>

Early life

Candace Gingrich was born to Robert and Kathleen (Daugherty) Gingrich<ref name="parents1">(September 25, 2003). Kathleen Gingrich: Mother of former house speaker, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette</ref> on June 2, 1966. Gingrich attended high school at Central Dauphin East High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1989.<ref name="grad1">Foreman, Chris (October 12, 2004). Candace Gingrich argues gay rights are about equality Template:Webarchive, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review</ref>

Activism

Although Gingrich's sexual orientation was publicly reported on as early as 1994,<ref name="1994-one">(November 24, 1994). Gingrich Opts for Gay Tolerance, Eugene Register Guard (Associated Press story)</ref> they first gained significant press attention in 1995 as a spokesperson for gay rights.<ref name="prof1">May, A.L. (March 6, 1995). Gingrich's lesbian half-sister speaks, Spartanburg Herald-Journal (Cox News Service story)</ref><ref name="ap1995-1">(March 7, 1995). Gingrich: I don't mix family and politics, Reading Eagle (Associated Press story)</ref><ref name="newsweek951">Isikoff, Michael (March 12, 1995). Gingrich: Newt's Gay Sister Gets Out Front, Newsweek</ref> They served as the Human Rights Campaign's National Coming Out Project Spokesperson for 1995 and were named one of Esquire's "Women We Love" and "Women of the Year" for Ms. magazine. From 1995 to 2019 they worked as Senior Manager of the Human Rights Campaign's Youth & Campus Outreach, as well as the Human Rights Campaign's HRC University Internship Program coordinator.<ref name="2005=1">Wynne, Sharon Kennedy (June 23, 2005). A Conversation with Candice Gingrich, St Petersburg Times</ref> Their autobiography, Accidental Activist: A Personal and Political Memoir, was released in 1996.<ref name="memoir">Harlan, Megan (September 13, 1996). The Accidental Activist: A Personal and Political Memoir (review) Template:Webarchive, Entertainment Weekly</ref> Since 2024, Gingrich has been working as Community Engagement Manager for the Illinois Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Public appearances

Gingrich has guest-starred on the television sitcom Friends in January 1996, in which they officiated over a commitment ceremony for two recurring characters in the episode "The One With the Lesbian Wedding".<ref name="preempt">Stewart, Richard (January 21, 1996). 'Friends' episode preempted due to lesbian wedding, Observer-Reporter (reprint of Houston Chronicle story)</ref> They also appeared on the debut of Al Franken's TV program Lateline in 1998.<ref name="franken1">Shales, Tom (March 20, 1998). Test run of 'lateline' sitcom attempts satire about media and politics, The Ledger</ref>

Gingrich endorsed President Barack Obama in 2012, despite Newt Gingrich's candidacy for the Republican nomination.<ref>Shahid, Aliyah. Gingrich’s sister: I'm voting for Obama!, New York Daily News, December 8, 2011. Retrieved on February 29, 2020.</ref>

Personal life

Gingrich married playwright Rebecca Jones in 2009.<ref>Benac, Nancy (December 18, 2011). Ex-speaker offers new Newt Gingrich for 2012 Template:Webarchive, The Detroit News ("She says Gingrich and wife Callista sent wedding and shower gifts when she married Rebecca Jones in 2009")</ref> The Gingrich-Joneses lived in Hyattsville, Maryland, where Gingrich played rugby with the Washington Furies.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The couple initiated their divorce in 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="OUT">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2017, Gingrich married Kelly Cassidy, a member of the Illinois House of Representatives.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Gingrich is genderqueer and a lesbian<ref name="OUT" /> and goes by they/them pronouns.<ref name="InTheNameOfLove">Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• Gingrich appears in A Union in Wait, a 2001 documentary film about same-sex marriage.

External links

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