Ryan Butler

For the baseball player, see Ryan Butler (baseball).
Ryan Butler
Born Ryan Townsend Butler
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, U.S.
Alma mater B.F.A., University of North Carolina School of the Arts
JD, American University, Washington College of Law
Occupation Filmmaker; attorney
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Chris Sgro (m. 2006)
Website www.ryanbutler.net

Ryan Townsend Butler is an American politician and filmmaker.[1] He directed the first documentary about same-sex marriage to air on national television in the United States and is the president of the LGBT Democrats of North Carolina. He is married to Chris Sgro, the executive director of Equality North Carolina.[2]

Political career

Butler previously served on the Advisory Neighborhood Commission for Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.[3] in Ward 2. He was elected on November 7, 2006 with 87.47% of the vote.[4] He was the first President of the LGBT Democrats of North Carolina and continues to serve in that position.[5][6][7] In April 2015 Butler was appointed as Chair of the Council of Review of the North Carolina Democratic Party.[8] On February 6, 2016 he was one of five people elected to a four year term on the Democratic National Committee by the North Carolina Democratic Party’s State Executive Committee, making him a superdelegate. That marks the first time an out LGBT DNC member has ever been elected by the North Carolina Democratic Party.[9]

Film and Legal Career

Butler's most notable film, A Union in Wait (2001), was an independent documentary film about same-sex marriage which aired on Sundance Channel and screened at more than 20 film festivals world-wide.[10][11] It was the first documentary about same-sex marriage to air on national television in the United States.[12]

After the release of A Union in Wait, Butler worked as a television editor in Washington, D.C., for ABC 7, the National Geographic Channel, and CNN. In 2008 he moved back to North Carolina, where he now works as an in house counsel at Replacements, Ltd.[13] after working for the North Carolina General Assembly[14] and then as an attorney in private practice.[15]

References

  1. ↑ Ryan Butler at the Internet Movie Database
  2. ↑ "Seeking Equality". Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  3. ↑ Dupont Circle ANC 2B: Commissioner Ryan Butler 2B04
  4. ↑ District of Columbia: Board of Elections and Ethics: Election Results
  5. ↑ "President's Council – LGBT Democrats of NC". Archived from the original on September 9, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Cooper to gay rights group: Day of equality is coming".
  7. ↑ "President's Council – LGBT Democrats of NC".
  8. ↑ "NC Democratic Party tries to oust former labor commissioner John Brooks".
  9. ↑ "Charlotte: Gay delegate".
  10. ↑ A Union In Wait, aunioninwait.com; accessed March 21, 2014.
  11. ↑ OutSmart
  12. ↑ Best "Same Sex Union" Titles, imdb.com; accessed March 21, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Press releases about Replacements, Ltd.".
  14. ↑ "Archive.org, North Carolina General Assembly - Senate Members & Respective Legislative Staff". Archived from the original on June 28, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Archive.org, Attorney Ryan Butler". Vaughan Law. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013.

External links


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