Candace Gingrich (; born June 2, 1966) is an American LGBT rights activist at the Human Rights Campaign. Candace is the half-sibling of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.Seelye, Katharine. Speaker's Sister Now Speaking Out, The New York Times, March 6, 1995. Retrieved on February 29, 2020.
Early life Candace Gingrich was born to Robert and Kathleen (Daugherty) Gingrich(September 25, 2003). Kathleen Gingrich: Mother of former house speaker, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on June 2, 1966. Gingrich attended high school at Central Dauphin East High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1989.Foreman, Chris (October 12, 2004). Candace Gingrich argues gay rights are about equality , Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Activism Although Gingrich's sexual orientation was publicly reported on as early as 1994,(November 24, 1994). Gingrich Opts for Gay Tolerance, Eugene Register Guard (Associated Press story) they first gained significant press attention in 1995 as a spokesperson for gay rights.May, A.L. (March 6, 1995). Gingrich's lesbian half-sister speaks, Spartanburg Herald-Journal (Cox News Service story)(March 7, 1995). Gingrich: I don't mix family and politics, Reading Eagle (Associated Press story)Isikoff, Michael (March 12, 1995). Gingrich: Newt's Gay Sister Gets Out Front, Newsweek 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.Wynne, Sharon Kennedy (June 23, 2005). A Conversation with Candice Gingrich, St Petersburg Times Their autobiography, Accidental Activist: A Personal and Political Memoir, was released in 1996.Harlan, Megan (September 13, 1996). The Accidental Activist: A Personal and Political Memoir (review) , Entertainment Weekly Since 2024, Gingrich has been working as Community Engagement Manager for the Illinois Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).
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".Stewart, Richard (January 21, 1996). 'Friends' episode preempted due to lesbian wedding, Observer-Reporter (reprint of Houston Chronicle story) They also appeared on the debut of Al Franken's TV program Lateline in 1998.Shales, Tom (March 20, 1998). Test run of 'lateline' sitcom attempts satire about media and politics, The Ledger
Gingrich endorsed President Barack Obama in 2012, despite Newt Gingrich's candidacy for the Republican nomination.Shahid, Aliyah. Gingrich’s sister: I'm voting for Obama!, New York Daily News, December 8, 2011. Retrieved on February 29, 2020.
Personal life Gingrich married playwright Rebecca Jones in 2009.Benac, Nancy (December 18, 2011). Ex-speaker offers new Newt Gingrich for 2012 , The Detroit News ("She says Gingrich and wife Callista sent wedding and shower gifts when she married Rebecca Jones in 2009") The Gingrich-Joneses lived in Hyattsville, Maryland, where Gingrich played rugby with the Washington Furies. The couple initiated their divorce in 2013. In 2017, Gingrich married Kelly Cassidy, a member of the Illinois House of Representatives.
Gingrich is genderqueer and a lesbian and goes by they/them pronouns.
See also Gingrich appears in A Union in Wait'', a 2001 documentary film about same-sex marriage.
References
External links