Christine Quinn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Christine Quinn
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| Speaker of the New York City Council | |
| In office January 1, 2006 – December 31, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Gifford Miller |
| Succeeded by | Melissa Mark-Viverito |
| Member of the New York City Council from the 3rd district |
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| In office November 2, 1999 – December 31, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Thomas K. Duane |
| Succeeded by | Corey Johnson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Christine Callaghan Quinn
July 25, 1966 Glen Cove, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Other political affiliations |
Women's Equality |
| Spouse |
Kim Catullo
(m. 2012) |
| Education | Trinity College, Connecticut (BA) |
Christine Callaghan Quinn (born July 25, 1966) is an American politician. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She used to be the Speaker of the New York City Council. She was the third person to hold this job. She was also the first woman and first openly gay person to be the Speaker. In 2013, she ran to become the mayor of New York City but did not win. Today, Quinn shares her political thoughts on TV channels like CNN and MSNBC.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps in Politics
Christine Quinn was born in Glen Cove, New York. She grew up with her parents and one sister. Her mother passed away when Christine was 16 years old.
Education and Early Work
Quinn went to School of the Holy Child in Old Westbury, New York. She later graduated from Trinity College in 1988. Her grandmother, Ellen Callaghan, was a survivor of the Titanic ship disaster.
After college, Quinn worked to help people find fair housing. She then started working in politics. She managed a City Council campaign for Thomas Duane in 1991. She worked for him for five years. Later, she became the leader of the New York City Anti-Violence Project. She also joined a special task force for the NYC Police.
Serving on the New York City Council
In 1999, Christine Quinn ran for a seat on the New York City Council. She wanted to represent the 3rd district. This area includes neighborhoods like Chelsea, Greenwich Village, and Hell's Kitchen. She won the election with a large number of votes.
Winning More Terms
In 2001, Quinn won a full term on the City Council. She was reelected in 2003 and again in 2005. In 2009, she won her third term with 81% of the votes. This showed how much support she had from the people she represented.
Important Work Before Becoming Speaker
While on the City Council, Quinn led the Health Committee. She helped pass important laws. One law made sure that city contractors gave equal benefits to married couples and registered partners. Another law helped grocery workers get health care. She also supported a ban on smoking inside many businesses. This law passed with many votes.
Becoming Speaker of the New York City Council
In January 2006, Christine Quinn was chosen to be the Speaker of the New York City Council. She was reelected as Speaker in 2010. This was a big step because she was the first woman and the first openly gay person to hold this powerful job.
Speaking Out Against Hate Speech
In 2007, the president of Iran was invited to speak at Columbia University. Christine Quinn asked the school to cancel the invitation. She believed his past comments supported hate speech. She especially pointed out his words about the Holocaust. Her request was not accepted.
Helping with Food Access
Under Quinn's leadership, the New York City Council worked to help people get food. They made it possible for farmers' markets (called Greenmarkets) to accept food stamps. She also disagreed with requiring people to be fingerprinted to get food stamps. This practice stopped in New York State in 2007.
Advocacy for Equal Rights
Christine Quinn strongly supported equal rights for all people during her time on the City Council. In 2006, she did not march in the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York. This was because the parade's organizers did not allow openly gay groups to march. She tried to find a solution, but it did not work. She has not marched in that parade since.
In 2009, Quinn asked the New York Senate to pass a law allowing same-sex marriage. She shared her personal feelings, saying she and her partner, Kim Catullo, would wait to get married until they could do so in New York. She believed everyone's family should be treated equally.
In 2012, Quinn asked the president of NYU to end its relationship with a company called Chick-Fil-A. This was because the company's CEO had spoken out against same-sex marriage.
Rules About Term Limits
For a long time, Quinn did not support changing term limits. Term limits are rules about how many times a politician can be elected to the same job. In 2008, she changed her mind. She supported Mayor Michael Bloomberg's idea to let elected officials run for a third term. She said this was important for the city's economy. The City Council voted to allow this change. This meant the mayor and council members could run for a third term.
However, many people disagreed with this change. In 2010, New Yorkers voted again. They decided that politicians should only serve two terms in a row.
Running for Mayor in 2013
On March 10, 2013, Christine Quinn announced she was running for mayor of New York City. The current mayor, Michael Bloomberg, could not run again.
Many people thought Quinn would win the Democratic nomination. But her campaign faced challenges. Some news reports talked about her strong temper. Her opponents also criticized her for changing her mind about term limits. In the end, she finished third in the primary election. Bill de Blasio won the nomination and later became mayor.
Life After the City Council
In 2013, Christine Quinn wrote a book about her life called With Patience and Fortitude – A Memoir.
In 2015, Quinn became the president and CEO of Women in Need (WIN). This is a non-profit group that helps homeless women and children in New York City. Quinn said this job felt like coming "full circle." Her first job was helping people find housing. She wanted to continue helping women and children facing tough situations.
Personal Life
Christine Quinn lives in Chelsea, Manhattan, with her wife, Kim Catullo. Kim is a lawyer. They got married on May 19, 2012. They also have a home in Bradley Beach, New Jersey, where they spend summer weekends.
In 2014, Quinn joined the board of Athlete Ally. This group works to fight against unfair treatment in sports. Christine Quinn is Catholic.
See also
- LGBT culture in New York City
- List of LGBT people from New York City
- NYC Pride March
