Chris Sgro

Christopher Michael Sgro is an American politician and political strategist best known for his work advocating for LGBT rights in North Carolina. He is a former member of the North Carolina House of Representatives and former Executive Director of Equality North Carolina. In 2017, Sgro became Communications Director of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBT rights organization in the United States.[1]

Chris Sgro
Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
from the 58th district
In office
2016–2017
Preceded byRalph C. Johnson
Succeeded byAmos L. Quick, III
ConstituencyGreensboro, NC
Personal details
BornJenkintown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
(
m. 2006)
Alma materAmerican University

Early life and early career

A native of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania,[2] Sgro was formerly director of economic development for US Senator Kay Hagan and a member of the senator's senior staff, a position which he held for more than four years and which took him to 97 of North Carolina's 100 counties. Prior to that, he was one of the first staffers hired by Hagan to work on her successful 2008 U.S. Senate campaign.[3]

Prior to his work with Hagan, Sgro worked in the Washington, D.C. headquarters for America Votes, a 501 (c)4 organization that aims to coordinate and promote progressive issues, and CARE, a national anti-poverty organization. Additionally, Sgro managed Don Vaughan’s successful N.C. Senate campaign in 2008.[4] Sgro also worked extensively on Jamie Raskin's successful primary bid to defeat the then president pro tem of the Maryland State Senate in 2006.[5]

Sgro lives in Greensboro, North Carolina and is married to Ryan Butler. Sgro met his husband, in a gay and lesbian documentary class, while an undergraduate at American University.[3] The couple had a marriage ceremony in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 2006, but became legally married in North Carolina on October 10, 2014, where they were the second same-sex couple to receive a marriage license in Guilford County, North Carolina.[6][7][8]

North Carolina General Assembly

In 2016, Sgro was selected by Democrats in Guilford County to fill a vacancy in the North Carolina House of Representatives due by the death of Ralph C. Johnson.[9] Because the vacancy was created in a democratically held district, North Carolina law required the Governor to appoint the choice of local democrats. Therefore Governor Pat McCrory officially appointed Sgro to the North Carolina House of Representatives on April 14, 2016, as required by law.[9] He became the first out LGBT person in North Carolina history to be appointed to fill a vacancy in that state's legislature and the first person to serve in North Carolina's legislature who is legally married to a person of same gender.

Equality NC

Sgro was named Executive Director of Equality NC on September 6, 2013.[10]

Equality North Carolina (or Equality NC, or ENC) is the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights advocacy group and political lobbying organization in North Carolina, USA and the oldest statewide LGBT equality organization in the United States.[11]

House Bill 2

Sgro has been one of the most vocal opponents of North Carolina's HB2, a controversial North Carolina law which he has called "the worst anti-LGBT legislation in the nation."[12] Less than a week after HB2 was passed Sgro held a press conference with other equality groups to announce that Equality NC had filed a federal lawsuit against HB2.[13]

After the passage of HB2, businesses, musicians, and sports leagues reacted swiftly. The NBA canceled the 2017 All-Star Game in Charlotte. Celebrities and musicians like Bruce Springsteen pulled out of scheduled events. Companies like PayPal and Deutsche Bank canceled expansion plans in North Carolina.[14] After the NBA canceled the 2017 All-Star Game in Charlotte, Sgro encountered McCrory as he was walking into a press conference. McCrory shouted at Sgro "congrats, you got what you wanted." Sgro responded “actually, Governor, we all lost - because of you.” [15] Sgro often publicly clashed with former Republican Governor Pat McCrory over the impact of House Bill 2, demanding its full repeal.[16][17]

On May 11, 2016 Sgro introduced the Equality for All Act, House Bill 1078. The legislation was the most comprehensive set of non-discrimination protections ever introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly. Although it never became law, the bill made national news and brought significant attention to what could be done to advance protections for minorities in North Carolina.[18]

gollark: I mean, obviously speaking you pay £2 or so for a tiny probability of lots more money, but the expected value is negative still.
gollark: Playing the lottery is mostly stupid, though.
gollark: Hmm, that reminds me, I should find more videos to pointlessly upload to ZedShare™.
gollark: Strange. I wonder how that works.
gollark: Well, in THAT case you would have an expanding wave of expanding pupils and probably doom everyone.

References
  1. Price, Mark (12 May 2017). "Top advocate for NC's LGBT community resigning to take on national role". Charlotte Observer. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  2. Gibbons, Margaret (5 May 2002). "Committee members are your eyes and ears". The Reporter. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  3. Lopez, Robert (7 September 2016). "A Season in Raleigh with Chris Sgro". Yes! Weekly. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  4. "Stories from the States: Equality North Carolina Hires New Executive Director, Christopher Sgro". Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  5. Marimow, Ann (16 August 2007). "The Real Democrat". Washington Post. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  6. "Same-sex couple marries in Greensboro, N.C." News and Record. 10 October 2014. Archived from the original on 13 October 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  7. Davis, Jonnelle (10 October 2014). "'This trumps anything in my life'". News and Record. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  8. DeVane, Steve (10 October 2014). "Federal judge strikes down same-sex marriage ban in N.C." Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  9. WGHP/Fox 8: Leader of LGBT rights organization named to state Legislature
  10. Fain, Travis (20 August 2013). "Hagan's Sgro headed to Equality NC". News and Record. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  11. "2011 STATE OF THE STATES REPORT" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-05-01. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
  12. "North Carolina governor signs controversial transgender bill". 24 March 2016.
  13. "Equality Groups Filing Suit Against North Carolina's Anti-LGBT Law". Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  14. "The Profit North Carolina See in LGBT Prejudice". The Daily Beast. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  15. "Pat McCrory Has Lost It".
  16. "McCrory and Sgro exchange words over HB2". Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  17. "Rep. Sgro: McCrory has "closed the door for business in NC" with HB2 (w/ Audio)". Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  18. "North Carolina House Democrats introduce 'Equality for All' legislation". Retrieved February 2, 2017.
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