Who is Chris Sununu? Where does he stand on LGBTQ+ rights?

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) is a rarity amongst the GOP since he’s one of the only Republican governors to repeatedly sign pro-LGBTQ+ legislation while also threatening to veto anti-LGBTQ+ bills. He isn’t seeking re-election to the governorship, but he still has a remarkable (though imperfect) record that’s worth noting.

Chris Sununu At a Glance

• Location: Newfields, New Hampshire
• Party Affiliation: Republican
• Race/Ethnicity: Lebanese, Hispanic, Greek, and American
• Gender Identity: Cisgender male
• Sexual Orientation: Straight
• Pronouns: His/Him
• LGBTQ+ Ally: Yes

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• Website: ChrisSununu.com

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Biography

Born in Salem, New Hampshire on November 5, 1974, Sununu graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering in 1998 and later worked as an environmental engineer who designed systems for cleaning up waste sites.

He worked as the owner and director of Sununu Enterprises, a business acquisition and development consulting firm, from 2006 to 2010. He also worked as CEO of the Waterville Valley Resort, a ski resort in central New Hampshire. He also served on the New Hampshire Executive Council — advising governors John Lynch (D), Maggie Hassan (D), and former acting governor Chuck Morse (R) — from 2011 to 2017.

Sununu became governor in 2016 and won re-election in 2018, 2020, and 2022. He and his wife Valerie have three children.

Sununu’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues

Sununu isn’t exactly an outspoken champion for queer causes, but he has proved a quiet and mostly reliable ally when it comes to enshrining LGBTQ+ rights into state law. Despite this, he has opposed expanding transgender rights in the areas of sports and updating birth certificates.

Same-sex marriage

On June 18, 2018, Sununu signed a bill setting his state’s minimum marriage age at 16 for same-sex and different-sex couples. Although the platform of his state’s Republican Party explicitly rejects same-sex marriage, Sununu said in 2018 that he isn’t involved with developing the state party’s platform. His 2020 expansion of adoption rights for married same-sex couples suggests that he is, at the very least, okay with such marriages occurring.

Trans children in sports

In May 2023, Sununu joined 24 other Republican governors in signing a letter criticizing the Biden administration’s plan to penalize schools that ban trans students from competing on any sports teams. While the Biden administration is still drafting its sports guidelines, the letter said its signers were interested in “protecting fairness in women’s and girls’ sports.”

In his own separate statement, Sununu wrote, “I believe in local control on these matters, and the Biden Administration’s proposed rule could potentially deny funding to some schools if they have policies that conflict with Washington’s proposed rule change. The best solutions are at the local level, ultimately up to each school and league — not a one-size-fits-all approach out of Washington.”

The New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association permits transgender athletes to compete as long as their gender identity is “bona fide and not for the purposes of gaining an unfair advantage.”

Transgender access to public bathrooms

In 2018, Sununu signed House Bill 1319, a law banning discrimination based on gender identity in housing, employment, and public accommodations, including public bathroom use.

“Discrimination in any form is unacceptable and runs contrary to New Hampshire’s Live Free or Die Spirit,” Sununu said in a statement after signing the bill. “If we really want to be the ‘Live Free or Die’ state, we must ensure that New Hampshire is a place where every person, regardless of their background, has an equal and full opportunity to pursue their dreams and to make a better life for themselves and their families.”

Don’t say gay/LGBTQ+ discussions in schools

In 2021, Sununu signed a budget bill prohibiting public schools, state agencies, and contractors from teaching that people of certain races and genders have oppressed others. The bill, which threatens to revoke the teaching licenses of any educators who violate its prohibitions, was challenged by LGBTQ+ and education advocates in federal court.

However, in May 2022, Sununu threatened to veto a Republican bill that would force schools to out LGBTQ+ students to their potentially unsupportive parents.

“This bill as written creates numerous challenges for kids,” Sununu said in a statement. “I share the concerns of the attorney general and, as such, will veto the bill if it reaches my desk.” The bill later perished in a state house committee.

Same-sex adoption

In July 2020, Sununu signed H.B. 1162, a law establishing legal adoption rights for biological, unmarried, and LGBTQ+ parents, including those whose children were born via in vitro fertilization or through a surrogate.

“This bill reaffirms our commitment and builds upon the progress we have made in reforming and enhancing the state’s child welfare system,” Sununu wrote in a statement.

Discrimination protections

Sununu has also facilitated other LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination protections in his state. In August 2023, he signed a bill banning LGBTQ+ panic defenses for murder. In 2019, he allowed the state to create a nonbinary gender option for driver’s licenses. However, that same year, he also vetoed a bill that would’ve made it easier for trans people to update their birth certificates. In 2018, he signed a bill outlawing so-called conversion therapy for minors.

Sununu’s career

• Graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering in 1998
• Worked as an environmental engineer cleaning up waste sites
• Owner and director of Sununu Enterprises from 2006 to 2010
• Served on New Hampshire Executive Council from 2011 to 2017
• Elected as governor in 2016. Won re-election in 2018, 2020, and 2022

In conclusion

Sununu has been less progressive on trans issues than he has been on other aspects of LGBTQ civil rights. No matter what he decides to do next in his political career, he should be remembered as a rare Republican who has largely worked to protect LGBTQ+ rights.

Stay informed about his career by subscribing to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter.

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