Jacques quits as gay rights group's leader

Former state Senator Cheryl Jacques abruptly resigned as president of the Human Rights Campaign yesterday, as the nation's most prominent gay and lesbian organization regroups after 11 states voted to ban same-sex marriage in the November elections.

In a press release last night, the organization cited ''a difference in management philosophy" between Jacques and the board of directors of the group, based in Washington, D.C. She had been with the organization 11 months.

A statement by board cochairman Michael Berman suggested that the group is reassessing its strategy in the aftermath of the newly passed gay marriage bans and the reelection of President Bush, a foe of gay marriage.

''In addition to recalculating our political efforts, we will enhance our activities in the corporate world, in the media and, most important, in communities of faith," Berman said.

Jacques could not be reached for comment. In a statement released by the organization, she took credit for helping to derail a proposed federal constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage that was before Congress this year. With 600,000 members, the Human Rights Campaign bills itself as the nation's largest gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender political organization.

''My priorities were to defeat the Federal Marriage Amendment, expand the organization's membership and fund-raising capacity, increase our diversity and maintain a strong voice in the media," Jacques said in a statement.

Her departure occurred as gay and lesbian activists sense a backlash from their victory in Massachusetts, which six months ago became the only state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage. Some activists suggest supporters of marriage rights should slow their efforts, to allow the public at large to accept same-sex marriage. Others support further legal fights to expand same-sex marriage beyond Massachusetts.

After President Bush's victory, some analysts pointed to survey results indicating that conservative voters were mobilized by concerns over moral values, including the legalization of gay marriage in Massachusetts.

Jacques issued a defiant statement shortly after the election, pointing to poll results indicating that voters backed expanded rights for gays and lesbians. ''We lost a battle, but we are winning a war," she said at the time.

In an interview, Berman insisted that Jacques's departure was not prompted by the election results. He said Jacques and the board agreed to describe her departure as a ''difference in management philosophy."

A cochairwoman of the organization praised Jacques last night. ''Cheryl has achieved a great deal as HRC president," board cochairwoman Gwen Baba said in a statement. ''We will miss her leadership and professionalism, but we understand her desire to move on to other challenges."

Jacques, 42, left the state Legislature in January after 12 years to take over as president of the Human Rights Campaign, replacing Elizabeth Birch, who had led the organization since 1994. One gay activist who asked not to be named pointed out that Jacques lacked the national political contacts that Birch had.

Last night, Gary Daffin, cochairman of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus, said Jacques had big shoes to fill, because Birch was considered a strong, popular leader. ''Frequently the first choice doesn't work out, and hopefully the organization will find someone who is a good fit," Daffin said. ''Cheryl provided outstanding leadership at HRC," Josh Friedes, advocacy director of the Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts, said, adding that the effort to secure marriage rights for gays benefited from Jacques.

The organization said that Berman and campaign official Hilary Rosen will lead the organization while it searches for a new leader.

In the state Senate, Jacques, a Needham Democrat, had been a prominent voice on gay and lesbian issues and one of the leading opponents of a proposed state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. She disclosed her sexual orientation in June 2000, when she wrote an op-ed piece for the Globe urging retention of programs for gay teenagers.

After Jacques left the Legislature, Republican Scott Brown won the state Senate seat in a special election campaign against her former aide, Angus McQuilken. Brown won the seat again this fall.