{{short description|American politician}} {{pp-protected|reason=Arbitration enforcement|small=yes}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2018}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Christine Hallquist | image = Christine Hallquist (cropped).jpg | alt = Hallquist gesturing toward a forest | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|4|11}} | birth_place = Baldwinsville, New York, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | spouse = {{Marriage|Patricia|1984}} | children = 3 | education = Mohawk Valley Community College (AS)<br>University of Massachusetts, Amherst (attended) | website = {{url|christineforvermont.com|Campaign website}} }} '''Christine Hallquist''' (born April 11, 1956)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/politics/government/2018/08/14/christine-hallquist-first-transgender-governor-nominee-vermont-democrat-what-know/993980002/|title = Christine Hallquist: What you need to know about the first transgender nominee for governor|website = Burlington Free Press|date = August 14, 2018|access-date = August 15, 2018|last = McCullum|first = April}}</ref> is an American politician and former CEO of Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC). She is the first openly transgender major-party nominee for governor in the United States, winning the 2018 Democratic nomination for governor of Vermont with over 40% of the vote.<ref name="wp18">{{cite news | title=Christine Hallquist wins Vermont primary, becoming first openly transgender major party nominee for governor | newspaper=Washington Post | date=August 15, 2018 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/08/15/christine-hallquist-wins-vermont-primary-becoming-first-openly-transgender-major-party-nominee-for-governor/ | access-date=August 15, 2018}}</ref><ref name="vtdig">{{cite web |last1=Landen |first1=Xander |last2=O'Connor |first2=Kevin |last3=Silberman |first3=Alexandre |title=Hallquist celebrates historic victory, trains sights on Scott |url=https://vtdigger.org/2018/08/15/hallquist-celebrates-historic-victory-trains-sights-scott/ |website=Vermont Digger |access-date=August 15, 2018|date=2018-08-15 }}</ref> Hallquist worked at VEC from 1998 to 2018, the last 13 years as CEO, until she resigned to run for governor.<ref name="7d15">{{cite web | last=Hallenbeck | first=Terri | title=Becoming Christine: Transgender CEO Hallquist Prepares to Go to Work As a Woman – Business – Vermont's Independent Voice | website=Seven Days | date=November 4, 2015 | url=https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/becoming-christine-transgender-ceo-hallquist-prepares-to-go-to-work-as-a-woman/Content?oid=2989971 | access-date=August 15, 2018}}</ref><ref name="wcax18">{{cite web | author=WCAX | title=Hallquist resigns from VEC | website=WCAX | date=February 21, 2018 | url=http://www.wcax.com/content/news/Hallquist-resigns-from-VEC-474727723.html | access-date=August 15, 2018}}</ref> Drawing national attention as a pioneering example of a CEO transitioning while in office, her transition was documented by her son in a documentary, ''Denial.''<ref name="wp18" /><ref name="denial">{{cite web |url=http://denialdocumentary.com/ |title=Denial – a feature length documentary about facing the bitter truth |access-date=August 15, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Vermont Business Magazine 2015">{{cite web | title=VEC CEO Hallquist comes out as transgender | website=Vermont Business Magazine | date=September 11, 2015 | url=https://vermontbiz.com/news/september/vec-ceo-hallquist-comes-out-transgender | access-date=August 15, 2018 | archive-date=August 15, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815133837/https://www.vermontbiz.com/news/september/vec-ceo-hallquist-comes-out-transgender | url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Early life and education== Hallquist grew up in Baldwinsville, New York as one of seven children and later attended Catholic elementary school.<ref name="Evans 2018">{{cite web | last=Evans | first=Brad | title=Transgender woman to run for governor of Vermont | website=WPTZ | date=February 20, 2018 | url=https://www.mynbc5.com/article/transgender-woman-to-run-for-governor-in-vermont/18238370 | access-date=August 15, 2018}}</ref> She had a difficult time in school and in the 8th grade, a school official called her parents to say that she needed an exorcism. Her parents immediately disagreed with school officials and pulled her out of the school. She attended public high school and later the Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica, New York. At the age of 20, Hallquist moved to Vermont. She started as an engineer at IBM and then enrolled in a training program at the University of Massachusetts to become an electrical engineer.<ref>{{cite news |last=Yoked |first=Tzach |url=https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2018-08-24/ty-article-magazine/.premium/meet-christine-hallquist-who-may-become-first-trans-governor/0000017f-f684-d887-a7ff-fee425b60000 |title='After Transitioning, Everything Seems Easier': Meet Christine Hallquist, Who May Become America's First Trans Governor |work=Haaretz |date=2018-08-24 |access-date=2018-08-24 }}</ref>
==Career== After beginning her professional life at IBM, Hallquist took a job at Digital Equipment Corporation.<ref name="vtbiz17">{{cite web | title=Plugged In & Out: Christine Hallquist, Vermont Electric Coop | website=Vermont Business Magazine | date=August 6, 2017 | url=https://vermontbiz.com/news/2017/august/06/plugged-out-christine-hallquist-vermont-electric-coop | access-date=August 15, 2018}}</ref> There she joined a training program at the University of Massachusetts to become an electrical engineer and worked with Digital to create low-cost power supplies quickly using lean manufacturing.<ref name="vtbiz17" /> Hallquist accepted an early buyout from Digital and moved back to Vermont to become the CEO of a small electronics company in Barre, Vermont, then founded a consulting firm that worked with such companies as Xerox, Miller Beer, and Honda.<ref name="vtbiz17" /> She started at VEC as engineering and operations manager in 2000, shortly after its recovery from bankruptcy.<ref name="vtbiz17" />
In July 2021 Governor Phil Scott appointed her as executive director of the newly-established Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB).<ref name="VT">{{cite web |title=Governor Phil Scott Appoints Christine Hallquist as Executive Director of the Vermont Community Broadband Board |url=https://governor.vermont.gov/press-release/governor-phil-scott-appoints-christine-hallquist-executive-director-vermont-community |website=Office of Governor Phil Scott |publisher=Vermont.gov |date=13 July 2021 |access-date=July 20, 2021}}</ref>
==Gubernatorial campaign== {{Further|2018 Vermont gubernatorial election}} Hallquist announced her 2018 gubernatorial campaign in Morrisville, Vermont on April 8, and said, "I truly believe Vermont is ready to elect a transgender governor because I don't think Vermonters are going to look at that."<ref name="wcax18a">{{cite web | last=Amato | first=Dom | title=Hallquist makes campaign for governor official | website=WCAX | date=April 8, 2018 | url=http://www.wcax.com/content/news/Hallquist-makes-it-official-479100353.html | access-date=August 15, 2018}}</ref> Hallquist ran on a platform of increased broadband access, universal Medicare and aggressive action against climate change.<ref name="nyt18a">{{Cite news | title=Christine Hallquist, a Transgender Woman, Wins Vermont Governor's Primary | newspaper=The New York Times | date=August 14, 2018 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/14/us/politics/christine-hallquist-vermont.html | access-date=August 15, 2018| last1=Bidgood | first1=Jess }}</ref>
In an August 22, 2018 interview with the Associated Press, Hallquist reported she had been getting death threats and personal attacks from all over the United States and around the world. The threats caused Hallquist to alter campaign appearances and decide not to publicize the address of her Morrisville campaign headquarters.<ref>{{cite news |author=Staff Writer |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/vermont-s-transgender-gubernatorial-candidate-getting-death-threats-n902851 |title=Vermont's transgender gubernatorial candidate getting death threats |work=NBC News |publisher=Associated Press |date=August 22, 2018 |access-date=August 22, 2018 }}</ref><ref name="nyt18c">{{cite web | title=Christine Hallquist Would Like to Talk About the Power Grid | website=The New York Times | date=2018-10-17 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/17/us/politics/christine-hallquist-vermont.html | access-date=2018-10-30}}</ref> On September 17, 2018, ''Politico'' rated the race as "Lean Republican", one step away from a tossup.<ref name="politico">{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/election-results/2018/house-senate-race-ratings-and-predictions/|title=Who wins 2018? Predictions for Every House & Senate Election|publisher=Politico|first=Steven|last=Shepard|access-date=September 17, 2018|date=September 17, 2018}}</ref> On November 6, 2018, Hallquist lost the election to Republican candidate and incumbent Phil Scott.
==Personal life== Hallquist lives in Hyde Park, Vermont, with her wife, Pat. They have three adult children and two grandchildren.<ref name="7d15" /><ref name="vtbiz17" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Andersen |first=Travis |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/08/15/things-about-christine-hallquist-trailblazing-vermont-gubernatorial-candidate/SXtMbfZlH0SYtu1FwNDxBM/story.html |title=5 things to know about Christine Hallquist, trailblazing Vermont candidate |work=The Boston Globe |date=August 15, 2018 |access-date=August 15, 2018 }}</ref> She confided to her wife that she was transgender early in their marriage and opened up to her children in the 2000s.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2018-08-24/ty-article-magazine/.premium/meet-christine-hallquist-who-may-become-first-trans-governor/0000017f-f684-d887-a7ff-fee425b60000|title='After Transitioning, Everything Seems Easier': Meet Christine Hallquist, Who May Become America's First Trans Governor|last=Yoked|first=Tzach|date=2018-08-24|work=Haaretz|access-date=2018-09-21|language=en}}</ref> She publicly transitioned in 2015.<ref name="7days"/> Although her mother accepted the transition, Hallquist's relationship with some of her friends and siblings deteriorated.<ref name="7days">{{Cite news|url=https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/becoming-christine-transgender-ceo-hallquist-prepares-to-go-to-work-as-a-woman/Content?oid=2989971|title=Becoming Christine: Transgender CEO Hallquist Prepares to Go to Work As a Woman|last=Hallenbeck|first=Terri|work=Seven Days|access-date=2018-09-21|language=en}}</ref> Hallquist later commented that the transition was much easier than expected and that her relationship with her wife and children remains strong.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://heavy.com/news/2018/08/christine-hallquist/|title=Christine Hallquist: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know|last=Prengel|first=Kate|date=2018-08-14|work=Heavy.com|access-date=2018-09-21|language=en-US}}</ref>
In April 2020, Hallquist tested positive for COVID-19.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.advocate.com/news/2020/4/10/trans-politician-christine-hallquist-tests-positive-covid-19|title=Trans Politician Christine Hallquist Tests Positive for COVID-19|last=Masters|first=Jeffrey|publisher=The Advocate|language=en-US|date=2020-04-10|access-date=2020-04-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vpr.org/post/christine-hallquist-recovering-covid-19-it-was-brutal-illness|title=Christine Hallquist Recovering From COVID-19: 'It Was A Brutal Illness'|last1=Epp|first1=Henry|last2=Kolb Noyes|first2=Amy|publisher=Vermont Public Radio|language=en-US|date=2020-04-14|access-date=2020-04-15}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{sisterlinks|d=Q56167585|c=Category:Christine_Hallquist|n=no|b=no|v=no|voy=no|m=no|mw=no|s=no|wikt=no|q=no|species=no}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20181106231011/https://www.christineforvermont.com/ Campaign website] * [http://denialdocumentary.com/ ''Denial'' movie website]
{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Sue Minter}} {{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for Governor of Vermont|years=2018}} {{s-aft|after=David Zuckerman}} {{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hallquist, Christine}} Category:1956 births Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:American chief executives in the energy industry Category:American electrical engineers Category:American women chief executives Category:Candidates in the 2018 United States elections Category:Engineers from New York (state) Category:LGBTQ people from Vermont Category:American transgender politicians Category:American transgender women Category:Living people Category:People from Baldwinsville, New York Category:Transgender women politicians Category:Vermont Democrats Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people Category:American women electrical engineers