Kathryn Hamm

Last updated

Kathryn Hamm
Born
Kathryn Elizabeth Hamm

(1969-06-02) June 2, 1969 (age 55)
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Education Princeton University (BA)
Catholic University of America (MSW)
Spouse
​
(m. 2013)​
Children1

Kathryn Elizabeth Hamm (born June 2, 1969) is an American author and businesswoman who has served as the chief operating officer of The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter since 2021. [1]

Contents

Prior to joining Cook, Hamm had a successful career in the wedding industry. She was the publisher of GayWeddings until its acquisition by WeddingWire in 2015. [2] She also co-authored The New Art of Capturing Love (2014), a photographic guide to same-sex weddings.

Early life and education

Hamm was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. After graduating from Greenhill School in Addison, Texas, [3] Hamm attended Princeton University where, as a freshman, she was the leading seasonal scorer for the university women's soccer team. [3] She graduated from Princeton with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in psychology and then received a Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) from Catholic University. She also served as an educator and school administrator in the Washington, D.C. area.

Wedding business

In 1999, Hamm's mother Gretchen began a business out of frustration at the lack of suitable wedding accessories available as Hamm planned a commitment ceremony with her female partner. [4] The business, which eventually was called Gayweddings.com, included offering "femme" or "butch" thank-you cards and fancy wedding proclamations. [4] At the beginning of the business, vendors at stationery shows "would just look at her like she was crazy" but a few years later the vendors showed more interest in helping out. [5] Near the end of 2006, Hamm headed the business Gretchen started to allow her mother to increase her lobbying efforts for equal rights for same-sex couples. [4] [6] Hamm began holding 'Gay Weddings 101' wedding-planning seminars in areas such as Chicago, Boston, and Washington D.C. [4] During an interview at the end of 2006, the Virginia-based wedding consultant noted, "For the longest time, there was so much shame and privacy around it that people didn't really give themselves permission to have ceremonies like this. ... The market is growing as the headlines remain out there." [7]

In 2010, Hamm formed a business partnership with American singer-songwriter Catie Curtis to serve as a wedding officiate for GayWeddings.com and help same-sex couples design their own ceremonies. [8]

In 2013, she married her long-time partner, political analyst Amy Walter. [9]

In 2013, with photographer Thea Dodds, she co-authored Capturing Love: The Art of Lesbian and Gay Wedding Photography which was reviewed by Human Rights Campaign, [10] National Public Radio, [11] Boston Globe , [12] Good Morning America , [13] Talk Radio News Service, [14] KNPR, [15] Baltimore Sun , [16] Echomag.com. [17] Good Morning America called the book a "groundbreaking guide" to same-sex marriage, [13] and Human Rights Campaign said Hamm was a "wedding innovator". [10]

In May 2013, the book was picked up by Amphoto Books (an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group) and revised and expanded for release as The New Art of Capturing Love: The Essential Guide to Lesbian & Gay Wedding Photography on May 6, 2014.

In June 2015, WeddingWire, Inc acquired GayWeddings.com. [18]

The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter

Hamm joined the staff of The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter in 2021 when she and Amy Walter acquired the business as co-owners. As the organization's chief operating officer, Hamm has spearheaded efforts to emphasize the organization's brand and expand its subscriber base.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<i>Chasing Amy</i> 1997 film by Kevin Smith

Chasing Amy is a 1997 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Kevin Smith and starring Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, and Jason Lee. The third film in Smith's View Askewniverse series, the film is about a male comic artist (Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian (Adams), to the displeasure of his best friend (Lee).

"There's Something About Marrying" is the tenth episode of the sixteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. In the episode, Springfield legalizes same-sex marriage to increase tourism. After becoming a minister, Homer starts to wed people to make money. Meanwhile, Marge's sister Patty comes out as a lesbian and reveals she is going to marry a woman named Veronica. The episode title is a play on the Farrelly brothers' 1998 romantic comedy There's Something About Mary.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Iceland since 27 June 2010. A bill providing for a gender-neutral marriage definition was passed by the Althing on 11 June 2010. No members of Parliament voted against the bill, and polling suggested that the bill was very popular among Icelanders. Iceland was the third Nordic country, after Norway and Sweden, the seventh in Europe, and the ninth in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kanako Otsuji</span> Japanese politician

Kanako Otsuji is a Japanese LGBT rights activist, member of the House of Representatives for the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and retired karateka and taekwondoin. She is also former member of the House of Councilors, and a former member of the Osaka Prefectural Assembly. One of only seven women in the 110-member Osaka Assembly, Otsuji represented the Sakai-ku, Sakai City constituency. In May 2013, after her party member of the House resigned, Otsuji became the nation's first openly gay member of the Diet, but her term in office expired in July. She won a seat in the 2017 general election and became the first openly gay member of the House of Representatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The One with the Lesbian Wedding</span> 11th episode of the 2nd season of Friends

"The One with the Lesbian Wedding" is the eleventh episode of the second season of the television situation comedy Friends. It attracted mild controversy and censorship as a result of its portrayal of same-sex marriage. The episode first aired on January 18, 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ada Dwyer Russell</span> American actress

Ada Dwyer Russell (1863–1952) was an American actress who performed on stage in Broadway and London and became the muse to her poet lover Amy Lowell.

This is a history of same-sex unions in cultures around the world. Various types of same-sex unions have existed, ranging from informal, unsanctioned, and temporary relationships to highly ritualized unions that have included marriage. State-recognized same-sex unions have recently become more widely accepted, with various countries recognizing same-sex marriages or other types of unions. A celebrated achievement in LGBT history occurred when Queen Beatrix signed a law making Netherlands the first country to legalize same-sex marriage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of lesbianism in the United States</span>

This article addresses the history of lesbianism in the United States. Unless otherwise noted, the members of same-sex female couples discussed here are not known to be lesbian, but they are mentioned as part of discussing the practice of lesbianism—that is, same-sex female sexual and romantic behavior.

Methodist viewpoints concerning homosexuality are diverse because there is no one denomination which represents all Methodists. The World Methodist Council, which represents most Methodist denominations, has no official statements regarding sexuality. Various Methodist denominations themselves take different stances on the issue of homosexuality, with many denominations holding homosexual practice to be sinful, while other denominations ordain LGBT clergy and marry same-sex couples. The positions of the various Methodist denominations around the globe are outlined in this article.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reese Williams and Bianca Montgomery</span> Soap opera character

Reese Williams and Bianca Montgomery are fictional characters and a lesbian couple from the ABC daytime drama All My Children. Reese was portrayed by Tamara Braun, and Bianca was portrayed by Eden Riegel. On Internet message boards, the pairing is commonly referred to by the portmanteaus "Rianca" and "Breese". The couple debuted in October 2008 and is groundbreaking for featuring the first same-sex marriage proposal, as well as the first legal same-sex wedding and marriage, on an American soap opera. In addition, the pairing's family is the first onscreen family made up of same-sex parents in the history of American daytime television.

<i>Gay Weddings</i> Television series

Gay Weddings is a 2002 American reality television series that aired on Bravo. The series, created by openly gay producers Kirk Marcolina and Douglas Ross, followed two lesbian and two gay couples as they prepared for their wedding ceremonies. Each episode combined interview footage of the individual couples and their families and friends with footage of the various couples going through their wedding planning activities along with video diaries from the couples themselves.

Many views are held or have been expressed by religious organisation in relation to same-sex marriage. Arguments both in favor of and in opposition to same-sex marriage are often made on religious grounds and/or formulated in terms of religious doctrine. Although many of the world's religions are opposed to same-sex marriage, the number of religious denominations that are conducting same-sex marriages have been increasing since 2010. Religious views on same-sex marriage are closely related to religious views on homosexuality.

India does not recognise same-sex marriage, civil unions or other forms of partnerships, but provides some limited legal recognition to cohabiting same-sex couples in the form of live-in relationships. Several same-sex couples have married in traditional Hindu ceremonies since the late 1980s; however, these marriages are not registered with the state and couples do not enjoy all the same rights and benefits as married opposite-sex couples. The Supreme Court of India in August 2022 provided social security rights to those in same-sex live-in relationships while also recognising same-sex couples as being part of a "family unit".

<i>Faking It</i> (American TV series) 2014 American romantic comedy television series

Faking It is an American romantic comedy television series that premiered on MTV on April 22, 2014, starring Rita Volk, Katie Stevens, Gregg Sulkin, Michael Willett, and Bailey De Young. The series was created by Dana Min Goodman and Julia Wolov. Carter Covington developed the series and serves as the executive producer. An eight-episode first season was ordered by MTV in October 2013. MTV announced a 10-episode second season set to premiere on September 23, 2014. In August 2014, the show won a Teen Choice Award for "Choice TV Breakout Show". In October 2014, MTV ordered 10 more episodes, meaning season two would have a total of 20 episodes. The series features the first intersex main character on a television show, and included television's first intersex character played by an intersex actor.

Koyuki Higashi is a Japanese LGBT activist, stage actress and writer. From 2005 to 2006, she was an otokoyaku member of the Takarazuka Revue Hana-gumi under the name Aura Maki (あうら真輝). From the fall of 2010, she became involved in LGBT issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of LGBT history, 21st century</span>

The following is a timeline of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) history in the 21st century.

The National LGBTQ Wall of Honor is a memorial wall in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City, dedicated to LGBTQ "pioneers, trailblazers, and heroes". Located inside the Stonewall Inn, the wall is part of the Stonewall National Monument, the first U.S. National Monument dedicated to the country's LGBTQ rights and history. The first fifty inductees were unveiled June 27, 2019, as a part of events marking the 50th anniversary of Stonewall. Five honorees are added annually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deb Price</span> American journalist (1958–2020)

Deborah Jane Price was an American journalist, author, and pioneering lesbian columnist. A pioneer in representing LGBTQ+ issues in mainstream media, she was the first nationally syndicated columnist on the topic. She won a Lambda Literary Award for her book Courting Justice and was inducted into the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association's Hall of Fame in 2009.

References

  1. ↑ @JessicaTaylor (July 30, 2021). "And we're really lucky to have @KHammCPR join as the CPRwAW's COO — she's been a part of the CPR family already as Amy's wife and she's bringing her amazing organizational skills and marketing and promotional eye to our team. So congrats to her @Redistrict & @alflinn too!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ↑ Kangarloo, Kasra (June 9, 2015). "WeddingWire expands services to same-sex marriages with second acquisition". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  3. 1 2 Harless Wade (November 5, 1987), Sports Today, Dallas Morning News, p. 2B, retrieved October 27, 2013
  4. 1 2 3 4 Sue Anne Pressley Montes (November 30, 2006), "Wedding Songs, Written to Order Composer Helps Gay, Straight Couples Put Their Love to Personalized Music", Washington Post , p. T10, archived from the original on November 5, 2013, retrieved October 27, 2013
  5. ↑ Joshua Kurlantzick (April 11, 2008), "A Red Carpet for Gay Weddings", Nytimes.com , p. 1, retrieved October 27, 2013
  6. ↑ Ellen Warren (August 31, 2008), Seeing double, Chicago Tribune, p. 7, retrieved October 27, 2013
  7. ↑ Dionne Walker (December 26, 2006), "Gay wedding industry is booming. Despite bans, same-sex couples are spending an estimated $1 billion a year on ceremonies.", Los Angeles Times , p. 4, retrieved October 27, 2013
  8. ↑ Top Singer Songwriter to Officiate Gay Weddings, Business Wire, December 7, 2010, retrieved October 27, 2013
  9. ↑ "A Legal Wedding 2 Decades in the Making". Freedom to Marry. November 2013. Archived from the original on December 9, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  10. 1 2 Maureen McCarty (January 24, 2013). "Review: Capturing Love: The Art of Lesbian & Gay Wedding Photography". Human Rights Campaign . Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013. Book review.
  11. ↑ Amy Ta (June 10, 2013). "'Capturing Love': How To Photograph Same-Sex Weddings". NPR . Retrieved October 21, 2013. Book review.
  12. ↑ Jim Lopata (May 17, 2013). "How to throw a (gay) wedding". Boston Globe . Retrieved October 21, 2013. Book review.
  13. 1 2 SUSAN DONALDSON JAMES (February 13, 2013). "'Capturing love': Gay weddings don't fit the straight mold". Good Morning America . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  14. ↑ "TRNS Interview: Gay Marriage Poses New Opportunities For Wedding Planners". Talk Radio News Service . April 9, 2013. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013. Book review.
  15. ↑ "Gay Wedding Photography". KNPR . March 21, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  16. ↑ L'Oreal Thompson (January 29, 2013). "New photography guide focuses on same-sex couples". Baltimore Sun . Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  17. ↑ Liz Massey. "Behind the Camera". Echomag.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013.
  18. ↑ "WeddingWire, Inc. Acquires GayWeddings.com". WeddingWire. Retrieved February 13, 2016.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.