Cheryl Jacques
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Cheryl Ann Jacques (b. February 17, 1962) (her surname is pronounced [dʒeks], to rhyme with fakes) is a United States politician who, beginning in January 2004, served for 11 months as president of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT, advocacy organization. It was as the leader of the nation's LGBT communities that Jacques addressed the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
She resigned on November 30, 2004, citing "a difference in management philosophy" with her board, following criticism of the HRC's failure to defeat referenda in 11 states banning same-sex marriage and, in some cases, civil unions.
Previous to her work with the organization, Jacques was one of the first openly lesbian members of the Massachusetts State Legislature, serving six terms from 1992 in the Massachusetts Senate. There, she became the first woman and first freshman legislator to chair the judiciary committee. Before her legislative career, she was Assistant District Attorney in Middlesex County and Assistant Attorney General of the state.
Currently, Jacques writes and speaks nationally on issues of diversity, civil rights and politics. She is Of Counsel to the law firm of Brody, Hardoon, Perkins and Kesten, and is a consultant on diversity issues to corporations and non-profit organizations.
Jacques graduated from Boston College in 1984 and received her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in 1987. She resides in Silver Spring, Maryland with her partner, Jennifer Wade Chrisler, and their twin sons, Timmy and Tommy. She is also an official political commentator for Q Television, appearing weekly with her own segment called Political IQ.
